Black Roses
by sarcxstic-stilinski
Summary: "How do you keep a flower shop open in Santa Carla of all places?" "Easist gift for the grieving. Flower shops thrive in places like this." "And how come I've never seen you before?" "Keep your head down here, and maybe someone won't end up buying flowers for you." The Lost Boys (1987) Lost Boys x OC Started: November 15, 2018
1. Chapter 1

**i.**

The dark town of Santa Carla had always been my home, and though I originally described it as dark, it was possibly the brightest city I had ever been to. Santa Carla was a place filled to the brim with tourist attractions, bright lights strung everywhere, and colorful characters from every part of the world.

Yet, the town seemed to hold some of the darkest people. Santa Carla was a place where you should be home or in public eye before dark or something would snatch you up, and even the bright lights of the board walk couldn't help you at points.

It was easy to take people in a place like Santa Carla where runaways seemed to always find their place. Nobody would know where they went, nobody would care, and nobody would question the new stains on the building down the street or the old flooring of the boardwalk. You simply made your way past and left as soon as you could.

Santa Carla wasn't supposed to be a home. It was a place filled with people constantly traveling and moving through, but it was the only place I had ever truly known. I knew the quickest ways home, the best places to hide, and places that held their doors open after hours for people who couldn't get home in time. Years of living in the city made me an expert on the place, and I used it to my advantage.

Every night, I closed down my small flower shop one hour before the board walk closed, I walked to my motorcycle chained to the pole outside, and I followed an exact route that lasted two minutes to my house. Then, I walked into the old building, locked all the doors, kept the windows tight shut, and went about my business, making sure to never leave the house unless absolutely necessary. In Santa Carla, you can never be sure.

My life had been pretty normal up until I met them. I had just graduated high school. I was running my flower shop on my own as my mother had retired quickly after I had taken over. The murder rates hadn't increased suddenly or decreased and put people in false hope. The only exciting thing that had happened was my newly dyed hair and my lilac finally blooming fully.

I was sorting through random bunches of flowers, trying to pick the correct ones for a bouquet labeled 'Santa Carla Sunset' that had been ordered over the phone earlier that night, when I heard a familiar voice call my name. "Evangeline," she dragged out teasingly.

I gasped loudly and turned to see my best friend standing beside the counter, a grin spread across her face. "Marigold," I squealed, placing the flowers on the counter before reaching over and pulling her into my arms happily. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!"

The blonde giggled happily and pulled away, still holding my hands. My heart jumped a bit at the gesture. Marigold and I had dated once upon a time, though it wasn't for very long, but we weren't right for each other. She was always gone and traveling, and I preferred my life here. We were still best of friends, though, really, it was more than friends. There were just no labels to hold onto. We could love each other as we pleased, but we weren't committed, and though I wasn't the biggest fan of it, I still got her, so I lived with it. "I was only gone for a week, Eva, and look what you do while I'm gone!" She gestured towards my newly dyed hair.

I had recently gotten my hip-length naturally curly red hair peroxide bleached at the bottom so it faded from auburn to white beautifully. I was in love with it. "What? Do you not like it?"

Marigold giggled again and grabbed my face, pulling me in for a soft kiss. "I love it."

I grinned and thanked her before pulling away, picking my flowers back up again. My high-waisted skirt flowed around me as I walked swiftly, grabbing a nice vase for the flowers I held in my hand and placing them in gingerly. "So," I spoke as I filled the vase with water and plant food, "where'd you go this time?"

I worked as I listened to her rave about a place in Nevada filled with scantily clad women and beautiful men that 'didn't even compare to the ones in Santa Carla.' I watered and fed plants sitting around, I rearranged bouquets, and when there was nothing left to do, I sat sifting through the radio stations for anything good.

I paused as I reached an all-too-familiar song. More specifically, it was me and Marigold's song, a soft song called _Suddenly_ by Billy Ocean. I paused for a second as the beginning chords began, tempted to change to station, only to feel Marigold's incredibly warm hands touch my shoulder. How much I hated how warm her hands were. Mine were cold, almost too cold, so cold people would ask me if I was okay if they touched my hands, and when I touched her hands, I felt like they might melt the ice of my hands.

I turned a bit and watched as she grabbed my hand. I complied and turned, meeting her stance half-way. I wrapped my arms around her neck, and she wrapped her arms around my waist. I closed my eyes for a second and leaned into her as we danced around the shop, not worried about who would see us. It wouldn't be the weirdest thing to see. I sang along to the song, smiling as she joined in on some parts, spinning me around in circles and pulling me back. It felt like when we first got together. It had played when I lost my first kiss to her, something so cheesy, yet something I would think about forever.

In that moment, I thought of everything I loved and hated about the girl in front of me. I loved her hair, the shoulder-length golden locks that always looked flawless. I loved her brown eyes that shined like pools of honey when the light shined just right. I loved her short skirts and combat boots that she always wore. I loved how carefree she was compared to me. I loved how big and red her lips were. I loved how she always seemed to be blushing lightly. I loved how she could recite almost every word from Grease and how she liked to call me her Sandy. I loved how she always seemed to brighten my days just by walking in.

I hated how warm she always was, like she was the sun. I hated how she always seemed right on the edge of put-together but just not quite there yet. I hated how she would disappear for days at a time without even saying goodbye. I hated her dumb shirts that always sat at an awkward angle on her. I hated how she didn't think twice about my feelings when she talked about our relationship. I hated how she didn't know how head-over-heels I was for her but never acted on it too much because I didn't want to constrain her. I hated how she was everything I wasn't and could never be.

We weren't meant for each other. It was an inevitable thought, but it was a thought I didn't want to think about it. It meant I would have to accept that one day whatever we had would come to an end when I found the person meant for me. It meant that, through all this love I had given her, all the hardships I had been through, none of it would matter. We weren't right for each other, and we both knew it, but damn if we weren't going to enjoy every second that we were together.

The song came to its final note almost suddenly, and Marigold and I sat standing in the middle of the room for a second, just taking each other in, before I pulled away. I was always the one pulling away, it seemed.

"It's been forever since they played that song," Marigold mumbled, her cheery voice dropping for a second.

I smiled. "I heard it on the radio the other day, the first day you had left for Nevada."

Marigold smiled and pulled herself up onto the counter, sitting and swinging her legs. "Damn, I always miss it, don't I?"

I shrugged. "It's whatever."

I turned and made my way behind the counter, leaning on my hand as I stared out into the crowd of people bumbling around. It had been a slow night, but people had still come in for small things. Boys would come in for single flowers for their girls for the night, a parent had come in hoping for a bouquet for his daughters, and a few came in asking for the usual bunch of funeral flowers to place on graves. Though not as many had come, I still needed to keep it open. How else was I supposed to live?

Marigold hummed and played with the petals of a cluster of daisies as I continued to stare. That's when I saw him for the first time. He was leaning against a brick wall, and he looked as if he had been studying my shop for quite some time. I figured he was probably grossed out by Marigold and I's dancing. I was used to it.

The boy seemed to be around the age of nineteen with curly blonde hair cut short in the front and long in the back. He was clad in a small white crop top, a jacket covered in tapestries and patches, dirty blue jeans, and a pair of beat-up leather boots. He was staring around with a smirk, but a cold, analytical look on his face. He was looking for something, I just didn't know what.

Then, his eyes locked with mine, and I was frozen. Either, it was fear, shock, or lust, I'm not completely sure, but I couldn't take my eyes off of him. He seemed caught off guard at first, but he quickly regained his composure, his face falling into a soft smirk. I watched as he slowly raised a hand and sent me a wave, curling each of his fingers easily.

I felt like I couldn't look away from him until I felt Marigold's warm hands snap me out of it. I quickly looked away, turning to the concerned girl. She sent me a worried look. "Hey, are you okay? I've been trying to get your attention for the past minute."

"Uh, yeah," I mumbled, stealing a look at him from the corner of my eye. He was watching my every movement easily. "Just got caught up in thinking."

Marigold seemed to ease up at that and smiled her blinding smile, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "Well, I was thinking that tomorrow, we could maybe go out on the board walk? It's your day off, and I haven't gone with you in months."

I looked at her pouty lips and sighed, knowing I couldn't say no to her. "I guess. You know how much I hate those fast rides, though." She always made me ride at least one of them any time we went. I would have just preferred a day at home, but I would do just about anything for the girl in front of me.

Marigold nodded eagerly and lunged forward, kissing me harshly before letting go and getting off the counter. She clambered to her feet easily and jumped happily. "I'll meet you here tomorrow at seven!"

I smiled at her and nodded, watching her until she disappeared into the crowd. Then, I turned back to the boy. He was watching me again, but this time, a hard expression was set on his face. I sighed and gave him another glance before looking at the time. I decided to close up. There wasn't going to be anymore business tonight, so there was no point in staying. So, I made sure everything was in place, grabbed the money from the register, walked outside and unhooked my bike, and left. I sent a quick fleeting look over to where the boy was only to see that he had disappeared.

I didn't understand what drew me to him so much, and it annoyed me beyond belief. I rolled my eyes and sighed before revving my engine and taking off into the night, ready for a good night's sleep for the hell that would be tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

**ii.**

The next day, I slept in until noon, something that wasn't abnormal for me. I would wake up around seven or eight, turn over, look at the time, and then immediately go back to bed until my body wouldn't let me sleep any longer. The comfort of being wrapped in warm blankets while the rest of my room was freezing was something I didn't want to give up.

Around one, I finally dragged myself out of bed, my blanket still wrapped around me, and stepped into the bathroom where I spent another hour getting ready. I had slipped on another high-waisted skirt that reached a bit above my ankles exposing my bare feet. This one was a soft shade of green with bits of red and blue mixed in. I pulled on a tight, off-shoulder crop top, smiling at my reflection in the mirror. I styled my hair so my curls were more defined, and I filed over a few pieces so it sat a bit higher on my head. I debated on pulling on a pair of shoes before shaking my head. It wasn't a huge deal to wear shoes around Santa Carla. If you were barefoot, it almost always meant that you were simply a local. None of the businesses minded, so I didn't either.

I slipped out of my bedroom and made my way to the kitchen where I grabbed a bowl of cereal before pulling myself up onto the counter and stared into my house quietly. _I need a dog._ I huffed and scooped another bite into my mouth. _Why don't I have one? I could bring him to the shop, too. Get one of those doggie things to attach to my bike._ I giggled a bit at the thought. _It wouldn't be that bad of an idea to get one though. Probably make me feel a bit safer, too. It'll be my little protector._ Well, I knew I wasn't going to get a small dog, but all dogs were small in my head.

Maybe I could get one tonight while I was out. Marigold could help me pick one. I nodded a bit and dumped my bowl in the sink. _Now_ , _how am I going to waste the next the next four hours?_

I had done absolutely nothing those four hours. After stifling through my small collection of books, fiddling with the radio, and trying to draw something decent even though I had no inspiration, I had taken to staring at nothing while listening to awfully loud music for the last two hours. The DJ on the radio telling me that it was now six twenty-four brought me out of my thoughts, and I jumped up. I made sure I still looked presentable and grabbed a good seventy dollars, knowing I would be spending a lot on my new pet tonight, and stuffed it in my bra as I had no where else to put it. I grabbed my keys and also made note of the fact that I really needed a purse as well.

I locked up the house and clambered onto my motorcycle and took off as the sun began to set. The boardwalk was already teeming with life, though most children and parents were already home. The night was for the teenagers and troublemakers ready to jump at the chance to have a good time.

I was a good thirty minutes early, so I chained up my bike where I normally did before looking around. A few feet away seemed to be a jewelry stand, but I could make out a small collection of cross-body bags that would be perfect for me. So, I made my way over, making sure to stay out of people's ways.

I grabbed my money from my bra on the way and smiled at the girl running the stand as I approached. She sent me a tired look, but she was kind nonetheless. "Hey, can I ask how much the bags are?"

The girl looked over and picked one up, checking the small tag on it. "Well, it _says_ five, but nobody really buys these, so I can give you it for like two because it's not like we're gonna miss it." She blew a purple bubble of gum and popped it easily.

I nodded and grabbed it before I caught sight of something else. A brown and green dreamcatcher sat beside a few oddly colorful ones, a tag that read three dollars sticking out. It was beautiful, I couldn't deny. "Hey, can I get that dreamcatcher as well?"

The girl nodded and grabbed it, placing it on top of the purse. I handed her a five and thanked her quickly. I slipped the bag over my body and stuffed my keys and cash inside. I moved back to the front of my shop and leaned against it as I stared at the new dreamcatcher in my hand. It looked like it was made for me. It seemed sturdy enough, and the dull yet bright colors seemed to match my room just enough to pass. I smiled a bit and placed it in my purse carefully, taking note of the fake feathers that looked dangerously close to falling off. I'd have to fix it up a bit, it seemed.

I stood next to my shop for a little bit, staring out into the crowd like I always did, when I saw him again. The curly-haired boy was joking around with another blonde. The hard expression he had on last night seemed to have diffused a bit, and though I still wouldn't approach him, he seemed a bit more laid back. The boy he was standing next to fit right in with the crowd. His blonde hair was styled in a way that made it look incredibly messy yet somehow put together. His style was similar to the curly-headed boy, yet also different in elements. He was clad in a leather jacket with a mesh shirt underneath that looked torn in places, tight, white pants with a slack belt, and a pair of leather boots that reached his knees. He was just as beautiful as the boy around him, and though at the time, he was laughing easily, I could tell that there was something different about him just like the other boy.

I watched them for a little bit, taking in their features easily. I mean, they weren't hard to miss. It was as if the crowd made sure not to step near them as if they were terrified. Maybe they were part of a gang. I never kept with who the troublemakers were. I didn't care. I didn't talk to anyone around here but Marigold. They could be the worst of the worst for all I knew, but here I was, staring at them like they were the sun, and I was given the ability to see it without burning my eyes.

I had to have been staring for at least ten minutes before one of them noticed me. The curly-haired one had turned and made eye contact with me easily. I gulped a bit, but this time, I was able to tear my eyes away. I barely saw him turn to his friend and motion toward me before I was staring in the eyes of the other blonde, his grin falling into a look of shock. I kept eye contact before looking down at the ground, afraid. What was happening to me?

I looked up to see the new boy trying to drag his friend to come toward me when Marigold finally showed up, wrapping her arm around me, grabbing my face, and pulling me into a kiss. I let out a surprised shock, and she giggled loudly into the action before pulling away, her permanent grin on her face. "Hey! I'm sorry I was late. My mom was yelling at my dad again, so I had to make it past them without being noticed."

I smiled and looked at the boys from the corner of my eye. The curly-haired one had the same look from last night on his face, his eyes watching me as his face was set to a hard expression. The other blonde looked hurt, and I silently wondered why, but I ignored it for the time being. "It's fine. I was just people watching."

Marigold shook her head and intertwined our fingers, pulling me away from the shop. "Well, I was thinking that maybe instead of doing the rides tonight, we could go to the beach? I know you don't have any clothes or anything, so I brought you one of my old bikinis that I knew would fit you."

I stared out at the beach and raised an eyebrow. "It's going to be freezing, babe!"

"Come on! We can keep each other warm!" She sent a wink and pulled me through people easily.

"I don't think this is a good idea."

Marigold turned back and shook her head, that smile still plastered across her face. "You never think any of my ideas are good! That's why you're always stuck in your room all day."

I pursed my lips before sighing lowly and shrugging my shoulders. "Well, then what's the worst that could happen."

"Ooh, don't say that! Makes it sound like we're in a horror movie!"

I laughed. _It feels like I'm in one_.

Marigold dragged me to one of the stalls used for changing and tossed a bag at me, a grin on her face. "Hurry!"

I sighed but complied, stepping into one of the cramped stalls. She had given me a red bikini that thankfully covered everything it needed to, but it left me a little self-concious. I wasn't _fat_ by any means, but I wasn't the skinniest girl around. I had a bit of thickness to me, and it made me aware of myself, but I could always hide with my skirts. This was something I wasn't used to.

I stared at myself in the mirror in front of me and sighed a bit. I pursed my lips and debated on taking it off and calling quits, but Marigold was soon pounding on my door, telling me to hurry up and come out.

I grumbled and stuffed all my stuff in the bag she had handed me before stepping out. I immediately wanted to cover every inch of myself as Marigold stared at me with wide eyes. She took a deep breath before letting out a loud "when did you get those tits?"

I gasped and shushed her, rolling my eyes. Of course, she would say something like that. "Marigold, as much as you know I love you, is the beach even open at night?"

"Well, I mean, technically, yeah, but there's like no lifeguard or anything."

"Is there ever?"

"You have a point."

Marigold was – of course – in a shining gold strapless bikini that made her look stunning. Her curves pulled the whole outfit together, and I silently wished for a body like hers.

Marigold noticed my look and quickly pulled me in for a kiss, his larger lips covering mine easily. I hummed a bit and smiled into it. She was the one to pull away this time. "You look fucking stunning. I'm scared to let you walk out there because all those boys and girls are going to drool over you."

I smiled a bit and shook my head. "Have you seen yourself?"

Marigold rolled her eyes and easily intertwined our fingers once again. "Now, let's go swimming in some freezing cold water on this very hot evening." She wasn't lying. For night, it seemed to be as hot as the daytime, and it annoyed me just a bit. Where was the cold weather when I wanted it?

Marigold and I stepped away from the stalls easily, and I caught a few people looking our way before I simply looked down and followed Marigold's lead. Her hand always stayed intertwined with mine as she pulled me down to the beach, giggling every now and then as I stumbled behind her.

She pulled me down the steps and towards the water. I barely had enough time to drop our bag of things, silently praying for nobody to take it, before I was being dragged into the water that was surprisingly warm. I blamed it on the sun having just set only thirty minutes ago. Marigold laughed loudly and swam out until she could barely stand on her feet with being underwater. The water was calm around us, and I took the time to take in her form. Her golden hair was fanning out around her, getting tangled in the salty water. Her smile seemed to shine extra bright in the moonlight, and I loved her. I really loved her.

I swam toward Marigold, and she wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a soft and passionate kiss. I wondered quietly what she saw in me enough to put enough emotion into such a simple guesture. Her nimble fingers ran down my sides under the water, and I felt her cup my ass easily. "Hey, sunshine," I mumbled after pulling away to breathe, using a nickname I hadn't used in almost a year. "What are we doing?"

"We're just feeling the love, baby," she mumbled back before dragging me back to her, kissing me quietly before moving down, running her lips down my neck and to my collarbone. I faintly recognized her pulling me up to wrap my legs around her waist, the water making me almost weightless. She kissed me breathlessly again like she wouldn't be able to do this again, but that's how she had always done it, relishing every moment as if it were our last.

I sighed against her, pulling away and resting my head on hers. "I love you to death, Marigold Winter, but I am not having sex with you in this water."

Marigold giggled her infectious giggle and shook her head. "No, baby, I was just enjoying you."

"Well," I mumbled, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips, "if that's the case, then I challenge you to a race to shore." I jumped out of her arms easily and ran my way through the water, laughing as she let out an astounded 'hey!' before I could here her following me.

As I looked up towards the boardwalk, happiness rolling off of me in waves, I saw the two again, though this time, they were with two other boys. They looked down toward me, watching my movements. I just ignored them, not wanting to ruin any moment with my girl.

Unfortunately, she was much faster than me, and she quickly made her way to our stuff and grabbed the bag, yelling a 'you better catch me if you want these clothes!' I simply smiled and played her game, chasing after her easily as her laugh sounded loudly.


	3. Chapter 3

**iii.**

The next day, I found myself in my shop as usual, tending to a pot of globe amaranths that had fully bloomed over the past two days. I was pulling some out, watering the rest, and planting new seeds for new ones.

I stared at the flowers in my hand for a second before deciding to make a new bouquet to sit on the desk. I snipped the ends of the flowers and placed them inside a vase that would fit them best, a tall slim one that opened a bit more at the top. I opened my book of flower meanings and slowly read over the ones I planned to get to make sure I remembered them correctly.

During my senior year of high school, I had taken to memorizing the meanings of flowers so I would always know, but sometimes the meanings were a bit fuzzy to me. I easily made a small checklist in my head and spun around the shop, grabbing the needed flowers, dancing a bit to the song on the radio, one by Bon Jovi, though I didn't remember the name.

I swayed my hips to the beat and snipped some more flowers before placing them in the vase as well, the colors blending together seamlessly. I smiled a bit, placing a soft yellow marigold in the middle, the larger flower bringing it all together. I filled it with water, sprinkling a bit of food in to keep it alive.

I placed the vase beside the register and looked around the shop, making note of things I needed to buy, more seeds or bigger pots for certain flowers. I moved and watered a few plants that looked like they needed it, swapping plants that needed more sun than others. I made the shop look just a bit better.

I hummed a bit to myself, trying to figure out what to do next before coming to the realization that I still had the dreamcatcher in my purse. I hadn't found a place for it near my bed that would be good for it, so I kept it in my bag so I wouldn't lose it.

I gasped happily and skipped across the room, grabbing my purse quickly. I opened my purse and grabbed the dreamcatcher easily, making sure to be a little careful with it so nothing would break. I then grabbed some floral tape that matched the string close enough and taped the feathers down so I knew they wouldn't fall. I smiled at the large hoop and looked around, deciding to place it on the wall behind the register where there was a small space open from the flowers surrounding the other walls.

I grabbed a nail and a book since I didn't have a hammer and hit the nail into the wall, smiling as I hooked the string on top of the dreamcatcher to the nail. It hung perfectly, like it was made to sit right there on the wall. I grinned at it a second longer before turning as I heard the bell to my shop door ring.

It was him, the curly-haired boy from before. He was standing in my shop, looking around at everything as if he was searching for something specific. Maybe he was, and I just didn't know.

I was scared to talk, afraid that he might be as rude as he looked, but I plastered a fake smile on my face and stepped to where I normally stood behind the counter. "Hello, how may I help you?"

The boy was obviously caught off guard as if he hadn't expected me to talk to him. "Nah, I'm just looking." I nodded and sent him a smaller smile as he looked over his shoulder toward me. He was staring at one of my pots of flowers. He turned a bit to look at me, pointing at them. "What are those?"

I stepped around the counter, walking over to where he was, my bare feet barely making sound against the flooring. I recognized the flowers almost immediately. "Anemone. They're used to symbolize being forsaken, undying love, or anticipation depending on what culture you're looking at. They're put in a lot of my funeral bouquets."

He nodded a bit. "She put them on my grave," he mumbled quietly to himself as if he hadn't meant for me to hear it. I raised my eyebrows a bit but ignored it, moving towards my radio as I talked.

"Are you looking for something for a specific occasion?" I fiddled with the stations, listening as his boots clunked against the flooring. "Normally people come to get flowers for someone specific."

"Got anything for vampires?" I turned my head to see him standing near me, a grin cracked across his face as if he was telling a joke I didn't understand.

I laughed a bit. "Actually, I do." He tilted his head a bit, and I motioned my head toward the bouquet sitting beside my cash register. "I just made that earlier. Maybe I knew you were coming in." My voice was teasing a bit as I relaxed just a bit. He didn't seem as bad as I originally thought. I turned away from the radio as a Queen song began playing. I stepped back to the counter and smiled as he met my eyes.

"What do they mean?" He crossed his arms and motioned to the flowers with his head.

I pointed to each flower easily as I spoke. "Globe Amaranth represents immortal love. Begonias meant to beware. Lobelia means malevolence. Marigold is pain and grief. Black roses mean death but also rebirth."

"Kinda dark, don't you think?"

I shrugged a bit. "Vampires literally live in the dark."

"Do you believe in vampires?"

I shrugged again. "I don't have reason not to believe in them."

He smirked at that. "How much would it be to buy these?"

I hummed and looked at them. "Thirty and your name." I was tired of calling him 'the curly-haired boy.'

He laughed at that, a small chuckle, but a laugh nonetheless. "Does your name also come with the purchase?"

"Maybe," I teased, smirking. I could flirt with him. It didn't matter. It wasn't like I was with someone.

"Well, then I guess I better pay up." He pulled a wallet from his back pocket and pulled out two twenties. "You can keep the change. My name is Marko."

I smiled, taking the money and placing it in my register. "My name is Evangeline."

"Well, _Evangeline_ ," he dragged out. God, I loved how he said my name. "How would you like to close up shop and come hang out with me and my friends for a little bit?"

This was a huge no-no in my book. This goes against my entire schedule to stay safe. What was I doing? If I kept this up, I could end up getting hurt, and yet, somehow, I didn't care. I was tired of living life like I was, constantly worried. Maybe I should do this. Marigold would be proud. I would have finally done something spontaneous. But, maybe this first time being spontaneous would be the jump that killed me.

I wanted to say yes. The worst that happened would be that I died, but really, is that so bad? What does this world even have for me? I run a flower shop, and I'm in love with a girl that doesn't love me back. I could just be another missing poster on the board walk that disappeared within days after being covered with hundreds of others.

Marko was watching me have my internal debate, a stupid smirk on his face like he knew what I was thinking. He was a complete stranger, a hot stranger, but a stranger that had been watching me for the past two days. He was going to kill me, and I wouldn't even get to say goodbye to Marigold. I sighed and shrugged.

"Yeah, why not." I already had the question answered before I even thought through everything. My fate was sealed.

Marko grinned a broad grin and watched as I took the flowers from the vase, wrapping them in black paper and tying a white bow around it. "I think you'll like our group."

I hummed a bit, thinking back to when I had seen the four of them together. "I hope so. I would be pretty disappointed if you invited me somewhere that isn't fun."

Marko chuckled again and leaned forward, placing his elbow on the counter so he could place his chin in his hand. "Then, we'll try not to disappoint."

I nodded and slid the flowers toward him. He grabbed them and smiled another toothy grin. I grabbed all the money from the register and stuffed it in my purse. I looked over the shop to make sure everything was okay before turning back to Marko who was watching my movements like he had been doing for the past few nights.

"Why are you always watching me," I questioned, raising my eyebrows a bit as I moved around the counter, trying not to get my shorter skirt caught on the marble.

I was clad in an unusual outfit for me, but I had been feeling particularly pretty tonight. I was dressed in a black high-waisted skirt that only reached mid-thigh at most. For a shirt, I had on a dark red crop top that ended just below my breasts, exposing most of my stomach and most of my black lacey bra when I lifted my arms. I was also wearing red fishnet tights and a pair of black flats on my feet. I grabbed my radio and turned it off.

Marko hummed, sitting back up again, but this time, he leaned against the counter as he watched me put my radio back in its spot in a drawer. "What do you mean?"

"The past two days. You've been watching me."

Marko hummed, and I heard his boots clang on the ground as he walked towards me. Then, I felt his breath right against my neck. His hands slowly slid to the uncovered curve of my waist, and I silently regretted my choice of attire for the evening. I froze, just taking in his oddly cold hands grab my waist in a way that I knew was wrong yet somehow felt right. My mind was chaos at the moment. Marko's breath fanned over my neck and shoulder, making me shiver a bit at the cold feeling. "Well, you are quite beautiful, and I like looking at beautiful people."

I blushed a soft red, not too noticeably unless you looked, but I felt my face heating up just enough. It had been a while since I was called beautiful by someone. Marigold took to the harsher words that made me feel good, but it wasn't the same. "I can't say I agree with your observation, but I'll take the compliment." My voice was breathless as I felt Marko inching closer to my face, and I was overcome with a sudden urge to turn my face and kiss him. It was a feverish feeling that I hadn't felt in a long time. It was foreign. I was so utterly attracted to him.

"Baby, you're the prettiest girl I've seen on this boardwalk. I was simply captivated." I giggled a bit at that, feeling like a schoolgirl with her first crush as warmth filled my chest.

I tilted my head back a bit, laying it on his shoulder so I could see him a bit more. "We shouldn't keep your friends waiting, _Marko_."

Marko grinned before leaning in a bit more and pressing his lips against my throat making my suck in a breath. He was feather-like. It was almost as if he wasn't even there. "I'm sure they could wait, _Evangeline_."

I hummed and closed my eyes for a second. "We shouldn't do that."

"Do what, Angel?" Oh, god, that was perfect coming from him.

"I just met you, Marko. We shouldn't be doing this."

Marko chuckled, pressed another kiss, though this one was on the juncture between my neck and shoulder. "I don't see anything wrong with this. We're just enjoying our time. You only live once. Make it last."

I hummed lightly and rolled my head to the side, giving him more access. "And how many girls have you done this to?"

"You're the only one."

"Somehow, I really don't believe that."

Marko growled teasingly and nipped at my neck softly. I giggled and pulled away, turning so I was facing him. "We do need to stop, and you told me you were going to introduce me to your friends!"

"Now, I don't want to. I just want you all to myself." His tone was hinting at something else, something I didn't understand.

I raised an eyebrow, wrapping my arms around his neck. "What do you mean? What are you hiding?"

Marko smiled a bit at my action and shook his head, wrapping his arms back around my waist. "It's nothing you need to know about right now."

"Then, what are you worried about? You're the one who invited me. I can go back behind the counter, if you don't want to take me." I didn't want for that to happen. I wanted a night of adventure for once. I wanted to disappear for a few days and have nobody question where I went but Marigold when she saw I was gone. Maybe it was spite on how she was always gone, but I didn't care. I was living for once. I was letting a boy I just met kiss my neck and hold me and call me names she never had. Why should I care about her one bit?

"I just don't want them to steal you from me, Angel."

I smiled a bit. "And why would they do that?"

"Because you're beautiful, and they're way better looking than me." I could tell he believed that. Insecurity laced his voice, and it hurt me just a bit.

I shook my head and kissed his cheek. "Now, I'm not sure if that's possible. You're possibly the cutest boy I've ever seen."

Marko gasped. "I'm not _cute_ , I'm _hot_ and _irresistible_."

I laughed loudly as he rose his voice to imitate a girl talking about him. "Do you tell yourself that every night to help with self-confidence or something?"

Marko gasped again, a fake frown plastered across his face, though he seemed to have a hard time keeping a smile off of his face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah, yeah, loverboy. I won't spill your secret." I laughed loudly again, and he looked at me in awe as my face twisted in giggles. His eyes seemed to hold such emotion for a few seconds before they were guarded again, and his usual smirk was plastered across his face.

"Yeah, they're gonna like you."

I moved back and slung my purse over my shoulder, leading him out of the store. I turned off the lights and locked up the doors many locks. "Let's hope so."

"You're a very likeable girl, Evangeline," Marko stated, slinging his arm over my shoulder as I pulled away from the door after a few seconds of fiddling with the last lock.

"I like to think so."

"Well, let's see what they think."


	4. Chapter 4

The boardwalk at night was truly a beautiful sight that I figured I would never get used to. Even after living here for nineteen years of my life, I still found the bright lights and streets teeming with people of all backgrounds one of the most interesting things to see. You would walk past girls in bright pink with blonde hair pulled back, high heels stuck on their feet, and then you would pass by another girl only this time wearing a flashy all-black outfit with her hair spiked and messed up in every directions. Boys ranged from cocky surfer boys that loved to terrorize people to goth-punk ones who would kneel so children could touch their jackets. Everyone came to Santa Carla, it seemed.

My eyes ran over everyone easily, taking in everything with wide eyes. It seemed that I barely had time to be out on the boardwalk anymore, and it was crazy to me every time.

Marko still had his arm around my waist, and I was slightly thankful for it because there had been a few times where I had forgotten what I was supposed to be doing and tried to walk off in a different direction. Thankfully, he was there to pull me back, laughing every time about how 'I paid less attention than Paul.' I'm guessing I'll be meeting this Paul, and we can zone out together.

I leaned a bit against Marko as I heard a voice call out his name. I turned to see the three boys from the other night, though I hadn't been able to truly take in the other two.

One was another blonde while the other was a brunette. The blonde seemed to be the most confident as he leaned against the railing of the boardwalk, not paying the slightest attention to us. He had a mullet of sorts that looked unnaturally blonde, almost like the tips of my hair were. He was wearing all black and multiple layers. He had on a t-shirt, a leather jacket, and then either a tuxedo jacket or a trench coat, I couldn't tell. He was also wearing a pair of jeans and tall boots like the blonde from before's.

Next to him was a boy who was darker than the others like he came from native American descent. He wasn't wearing a shirt at all, but he wore a black leather jacket, jeans, and boots like the others. A tooth from an animal dangled from his ear, and I took note of the fact that all the boys had an earring dangling from their left ear, something I hadn't even looked at earlier.

"Marko!" It had been the blonde from the second night who had called out. He was grinning ear-to-ear, and he opened his arms. I could make out a joint lit in his hand that seemed to be on its last leg. "Where'd you go, dude?"

Marko grinned and hugged me closer to his side before letting go completely, pushing me towards the guys in front of us. "I went to go get this girl right here."

At that sentence, the leader looked toward us and locked eyes with me. He faltered for a second before a smirk slid across his face. "And who might this be?"

"I'm Evangeline." My voice was so quiet compared to Marko and the blonde's at the moment, but it seemed that the leader was a bit thankful for it. He probably had to deal with them yelling quite a bit, it seemed.

The blonde laughed and pulled me forward, throwing his arm around my shoulder like Marko had done before. "That's quite a mouthful. You got a nickname, girl?"

I shrugged. "Not really. People just call me Evangeline."

Marko scoffed and crossed his arms. "Excuse you. I have been calling you Angel!"

"You've called me Angel twice! I didn't think it'd be a recurring thing. I'm sorry," I retorted, rolling my eyes a bit, laughing so he knew I was joking.

"Angel's cute. I can dig that." I rolled my eyes, turning to the other two who hadn't talked much. The brunette seemed to be analyzing me, his eyes roaming over every inch of me, though I couldn't find it in myself to care. I wasn't sure what he was looking for, so I ignored it. The blonde was watching as well, but he seemed a bit more amused, the smirk still on his face.

Why did everyone in this group have to be so hot?

"So," I started, turning to the blonde with his arm around my shoulder. "Do you guys have names or am I going to have to keep calling you dumb things in my head?"

Blondie laughed a bit, and I watched as he took another drag from his joint before dropping it on the ground. Damn, I should've asked for some. "My name, beautiful, is Paul. Pleasure to be of your service," he teased, cracking another grin.

I turned to the other two. "My name's David, sweetheart," the leader spoke. I was going to melt into a puddle if he called me that again.

"And I'm Dwayne." I did not expect for his voice to be as deep as it was, but it was definitely a nice surprise.

I mumbled their names quietly, trying to put it to memory. Paul shook her from her thoughts by squeezing her shoulder a bit. "How'd you meet my boy, Marko?"

"He walked into my shop and invited me out," I motioned to the bouquet in Marko's hand.

"A flower shop? That's cute," Paul stated, laughing as I swatted at his arm. He let me go, and I moved back to Marko. He immediately wrapped his arm around my waist, and I rolled my eyes. If the other two are as touchy-feely as these two were, I was either going to feel very annoyed or very appreciated. I guess I would find out soon.

David spoke next, curiosity laced in his voice. "How do you keep a flower shop open in Santa Carla of all places?"

I figured the answer was pretty simple. "Easist gift for the grieving. Flower shops thrive in places like this."

"And how come I've never seen you before?" David crossed his arms, leaning forward a bit as if he was trying to intimidate me.

"Keep your head down here, and maybe someone won't end up buying flowers for you," I replied. "I've lived in Santa Carla my whole life. I know my way around."

David seemed to like that answer, so he leaned back again, nodding his head toward Marko. I guess I had passed a test of sorts.

"Damn, Angel," Paul yelled. "That's hella dark."

I grinned at him and shrugged. "You gotta be dark sometimes, dude." Paul shrugged, and I watched as he fumbled around his jacket pockets before pulling out another joint and lighting it. "Can I get some of that?"

Paul coughed loudly as he pulled away, looking at me with wide eyes. "You smoke?"

"On occasion. Used to all the time in high school, but I don't have any connections now."

Paul grinned his broad grin and handed it over, watching as I took a long drag before handing it back. I felt the familiar tingling run through my body, and I breathed it out slowly, watching it with ease. "If you keep pulling out surprises like that, girl, I might just become your new best friend," he paused for a second, "or more." He shook his shoulders a funny way, and I giggled loudly. If I thought being around Marko made me feel like a schoolgirl, it was nothing compared to being around all of these boys.

"So," I dragged out, turning to look at Marko, the boy only slightly taller than me, "what are our plans for the night?"

"We were going to go back to our place, but we could do something else if you prefer," David drawled out. I turned to see his eyes trained on me, an easy grin on his face.

I hummed and leaned against Marko a little more. "I don't mind either way."

"Well then, princess, let's go," David stated, climbing onto his bike. Marko pulled me over to his with ease. He climbed on and then turned to help me. I got on only to pause for a second. "Hey, what about _my_ bike?"

Marko huffed for a second. "I'll drive you over, and you can grab it."

"Don't worry, girlie! We'll wait on you," I heard Paul yell from his bike. I laughed at him and wrapped my arms around Marko.

"Give us a second," I yelled as Marko gunned it down the boardwalk, moving through the people with ease that I couldn't comprehend. He didn't have a care in the world.

The drive was only a few seconds long, and I quickly jumped off and unchained my bike. I wrapped the chains around the back of my seat that I didn't touch and turned on my bike, watching as it purred. I turned to Marko and nodded. He grinned and moved through the crowd, this time a bit slower so I could follow.

We arrived back at the boys, and I watched as David and Dwayne gave my bike an approving look while Paul burst into cackles. "It's like you were _made_ for us, girl!"

"Maybe I was," I joked, winking at him.

Paul cackled again, and David revved his engine. "Let's go, boys and girl," David called off, and then he was off, moving faster than Marko had. I grinned at the challenge and followed the boys, jumping down the stairs like I had done plenty of times when Marigold was on the back of my bike. I followed them easily, having run up and down the beach with my bike multiple times. It had only been after we raced through the forest that I had to pay attention. I didn't know this area as well. The keep out and beware signs had kept me from riding through the area, and it was a lot foggier than the rest of the place. I took to staying near Paul, not near the front, but definitely not near the back. The boys slowed to an easy stop and cut their engines, so I followed, looking around the area.

I pursed my lips and walked toward Paul, holding my hands behind my back. "You guys plan on killing me or something?"

"Or something," Paul responded, laughing with me. "Nah, we wouldn't do that to you. You're too cool."

"Well, thank you so much. You're just a knight in shining armor."

"No offense," Marko butted in, walking up next to us, "but he would be a pretty shitty knight. Now, come on, princess, we should get inside."

Marko grabbed my hand, and I followed him toward the right side of the cliff where a set of stairs resided. Marko began walking down them easily, but I paused, hearing the rushing waves beneath the rickety wood. "Okay, I may be crazy for coming with you guys, but I am _not_ walking down these stairs."

Marko rolled his eyes jokingly, stepped back up, bent down, and pulled me over his shoulder. I screamed loudly, my legs flailing. "Marko, put me down right now!"

"Oh, calm down, princess. I'm not going to drop you," I stated as he began descending the stairs.

"Somehow, I really do not believe you," I yelled, trying not to flail as much as I was aware that my underwear could be put on display if I moved too much. My bra on the other hand was a lost cause. My upper half was completely upside down which meant my shirt had ridden up to expose the lacy and revealing fabric. I cursed myself for ever feeling pretty. This outfit had been nothing but a mistake, it seemed.

Marko let out a loud laugh, and I felt him descend the final steps. I laid limp against his shoulder, whimpering weakly. "Can you put me down now?"

"Well, if you insist," Marko drawled out, bending down so I was on my feet again. I quickly fixed my shirt, ignoring the looks from the boys and the loud wolf whistle from Paul.

"Wow, you wear that just for me?" Paul yelled out.

I raised an eyebrow jokingly, placing my hands on my hips. "Oh, of course. I totally knew I was going to meet you, so I wore it specifically for you."

Paul laughed and sat down on one of the couches. The area surrounding me was as beautiful as the boardwalk, but it was a different beautiful. The place was littered with everything you could imagine and lit by candles and large burning barrels. Tapestries and posters hung up everywhere, beat down furniture made for comfort, and there seemed to be a bed or two in the back, though they didn't look like they had been used all too much. There were a lot of artistic stuff lying around. Sketchpads and pencils of all kinds scattered the floor, two or three guitars of different kinds were sitting around, and I could make out a collection of books and vinyls on the far wall. It looked like somewhere I imagined them living.

Paul broke me out of my daze as he yelled out again. "I don't know who else you would wear it for."

I hummed a bit. "Probably for my girl. Maybe I planned on seeing her tonight before I got dragged away by you guys.

Paul's laughter sounded a bit harsher next. "That that girl you were with last night? You guys girlfriend-girlfriend or something?"

I shrugged a bit, falling onto the couch beside him as I met David and Dwayne's eyes who were staring at me while they listened intently. "More like friends with benefits. It's nothin' more than fun most of the time." I stretched across the couch, popping my back before falling into the oddly comfortably cushions, my legs on Paul's lap.

"Most of the time," Dwayne prodded. I looked up in surprise. He didn't seem to really say much, did he?

I nodded. "Can't say I haven't wanted to be more than her, but she's a free spirit, and I can't stop her. So, we just fuck."

Dwayne seemed caught off guard by my language. I turned to Marko who looked curious and a bit jealous at the same time. "How does that even work?"

"Toys. Fingers. Mouths. You never seen two girls do it?"

Marko shrugged. "Not really my thing."

Paul tapped my legs. "Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait." He paused for a second like he had forgotten the question before popping back. "Who's the dude when you do that?"

I laughed a loud laugh that seemed to bounce off the walls with how loud it was. It wasn't even that funny of a question, but he seemed so curious and concerned. "Normally, it's her. She likes to be the dude. I cannot top. I'm way too self-conscious."

"So you like being dominated," Paul teased, dragging me closer to him by my thighs, my skirt riding up to where you could almost see my underwear. This was so not me. I was not normally this calm especially in the face of a boy this cute. What was happening to me?

I giggled, pushing myself up so I was face to face with him. "Maybe. What're you gonna do about it."

I heard a low, guttural growl behind me from one of the boys, a sound that should not be human, but I ignored it, wrapping my arms around Paul's neck while inching closer and closer. "Wouldn't you like to find out."

Paul inched closer, only an inch or two away from my lips, when I pulled away, a loud laugh sounding from me as a jumped from his lap, smoothing out my clothes as I walked over to the bookshelves. "You guys got any good music."

Paul groaned loudly, and I heard him fall against the couch. "You can't do that to me, Angel!"

I looked over my shoulder with a small grin, looking at all the boy's eyes trained on me. Well, mostly on my ass, it seemed. "I don't know what you're talkin' 'bout, baby," I stated matter-of-factly. "Now, someone needs to point me to the music before I go crazy. It's so quiet in here."

I heard the sound of boots moments after, and I turned to see a broad and very much naked chest in front of me. "Dwayne! You gonna help me out, buddy?"

Dwayne raised an eyebrow but nodded, grabbing my hand and pulling me over to a bookshelf that was filled with different vinyls and a player sat beside it connected to bigger speakers. "We used to have a radio, but _someone_ hit it a bit too hard." He looked pointedly at Paul who simply shrugged his shoulders. "This is David's shelf, mine, Paul, and then Marko's." He pointed them out in order, and I thanked him quickly, looking through the various titles, some incredibly old, though most were fairly new.

I found my favorite artists with Dwayne's music. He had the mellowest ones while Paul and Marko had songs you would head bang to, and David had peppier tunes, surprisingly. I debated on grabbing a quieter artist, but I figured the boys weren't really in the mood for that. So, instead, I grabbed a Prince album and placed it on the record player. The familiar sound of _Let's Go Crazy_ sounded quietly, and I saw Dwayne smile just a bit and David nod his head in appreciation.

"So, this is where y'all live," I questioned, sitting down beside Marko who was laying across another couch.

David nodded as his hands fiddled with the sides of the wheelchair he was sitting in. "Yeah. We found it a while back. It was a big resort back in the day, but when the big one hit, it fell right through."

"It's really nice," I mumbled, leaning against Marko. "What time is it?" I knew I left the shop near my closing time, so it had to have been late.

"Almost three," Paul called out. "Want a joint?"

"Not if I have to go home," I mumbled, feeling Marko's arm wrap around me once again. "I need to be able to concentrate if I'm going home."

"You can sleep on one of the beds if you want. No one uses them," David spoke up, motioning toward the beds I had seen when I first showed up.

I hummed. "Then, yeah, hand one over, Paul."

Paul stood and stepped over to me, handing me an unlit joint. I placed it between my lips and watched as he lit a match and held it up to the joint before shaking the match out once I was good. I took a long drag and laid against Marko, my eyes falling closed just a little bit.

Marko pulled me farther up against him so I was basically sitting in his lap. "I like your friends, Marko," I mumbled quietly, hoping they wouldn't hear me over the music.

Marko grinned and kissed my cheek. "I think they like you, too, Angel."

I hummed lowly. "I like that nickname." I turned and kissed Marko's cheek as well.

"I'm glad."

"Hey, Marko," I mumbled after a few moments of silence. "Why do I feel like I've known you guys for-like-ever?" I took another drag of my joint, and the room became slightly dizzy. I felt at peace, and all my judgement seemed to be thrown out the window.

"I don't know, Angel," he replied, but I knew it was a lie. He knew something I didn't.

I shook my head but let it go, putting my full weight against him. "Hey, Marko," I mumbled again. I felt like I was going to pass out from how tired I was.

"Yes, Angel."

"I have a secret."

Marko paused. "What's your secret."

I turned a bit and whispered in his ear. "I think I like all of you a bit more than I should. Like, I _like_ -like you guys."

Marko grinned a toothy grin, and his arm moved from my shoulders to my waist, and he rubbed small patterns into the exposed flesh. "I think we like you too."

"That's nice."

It was quiet again for another few moments.

"Hey, _Marko_ ," I whined out this time.

Marko laughed a bit, obviously enjoying my state of being utterly tired. " _Yes, Angel_?"

" _Where_ did those flowers go?"

We both burst into a small fit of giggles, and I felt Paul take my joint from me and hand it to Marko before I could pull it to my lips again. I opened my mouth to whine at him until I felt him grab my thighs and lift me over his shoulder like Marko had done. Only this time, my underwear was definitely on display along with my bra.

"Paul," I screamed loudly, trying to contain my giggles, "put me down! What is with you guys and picking me up?" Paul laughed and twirled me before I fell onto a soft mattress. I grumbled lightly and fixed my attire. "If you wanted to see my underwear, you could've just asked."

"Really," Paul asked, his eyes lighting up like a kid on Christmas.

" _No!_ " I hit him lightly, giggling a bit. "You're so inappropriate!"

"Not my fault! Have you seen yourself?"

I rolled my eyes. "There's nothing to see. I'm not special, baby. I'm far from it."

"I would disagree." Paul's voice was stern, full of true belief. "I think you're the most beautifullest girl I've ever met."

"That's not even a word," I yelled between giggles.

Paul pouted. "Whatever. You need to go to sleep."

I hummed and nodded. "Then, move."

"Why?"

"I can't sleep in clothes," I stated.

Almost instantly, Paul was moving, making room so I could slide off the bed. I thought about getting him to turn around before I just shrugged. Who cared at this point. Whatever happened happened, and I didn't care.

I shruged my shoes off my feet and paused before slipping my skirt down my legs. Next went my leggings and then my top. I was bare except my underwear, and I didn't care. Either this was some really strong weed, or I was gaining a huge amount of self-confidence.

I ran my hands through my long hair and tied it up into a loose ponytail so it wouldn't bother me before turning to look at Paul who seemed to be stuck looking at me in awe. "I stand by my statement before. You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." I grinned at that and watched as he moved forward and placed his hands on my waist. "Can I kiss you?"

I hummed as if I was actually thinking about it before nodding. "You sure can."

Paul grinned and leaned down, hesitating for a moment only to bend down and kiss me softly as if he were afraid of something. "I won't bite," I mumbled as I pulled away only to push forward and kiss him again. Paul seemed to enjoy my confidence, and he kissed back a bit harsher this time, his hands tightening on my waist as mine ran up and gripped his hair, tugging a bit. "Unless you want me to," I stated as we pulled back again.

Paul chuckled and kissed me a last time before pulling away completely. "You should get to bed. The guys won't like that I kissed you first."

"First?"

"You'll see later, princess. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Paul."


	5. Chapter 5

**v.**

I woke up around late afternoon if the sun's position in the sky was correct. I drug myself out of the bed, took a moment to freak out about what I did the night before, pulled on my clothes, and left with my bike, following the trail I had last night. I thought about leaving the boys a note of sorts, but I didn't care to, so I didn't. The fifteen-minute drive to my house was filled with me simply questioning what the hell I had done the night before. It was out of character for me! I was losing my mind! I didn't know these four boys at all, and yet I let one kiss my neck, let the other see me almost naked and make out with me, and the other two had seen my underwear and me with my walls down. What was I doing?

I wanted to scream. I wanted to shout at someone or something because something inside me was changing when I was around them, and I didn't like change. They made me feel _pretty_ and like I finally had real friends, and I was scared. Why was I feeling like this?

When I got home, I took a quick shower, dressed up again in an outfit similar to the one from last night but still different. I wore a short black skirt again, but I had on a forest green tight tank top that exposed a small amount of skin above my high-waisted skirt. I didn't wear shoes, but I had on black socks that reached mid-thigh. My hair was sitting high like it normally did, the curls tickling the bare skin of my back.

Then, I left my home with one thought on my mind: a dog. I wanted a dog, and I had been too caught up in other stuff to even think about getting one. I wanted an older one. Maybe I would stop by the pound and then go to the pet shop on the board walk. Both were open around now.

By the time I had walked over to the pound – I didn't have anywhere to put a dog on my bike – the sun was setting. The pound was a large building, and I could hear dogs barking from where I was outside. I stepped into the building cautiously, and I was immediately greeted by a boy behind a counter who looked like he would rather be anywhere else than there. "What can I do for you?"

I smiled a bit, trying to be polite. "I was wondering if you had any dogs? I'm interested in taking one home."

The boy nodded and pulled himself away from his desk. He motioned for me to follow him, and I matched his steps, stepping into a large area filled with cages on the walls. It was filled with dogs of all kinds and ages, and though I found the puppies cute, I was drawn to one dog in particular. He was obviously decently old, and he was curled in the back of his cage, watching me from his small area. I bent next to the cage and whistled for him, watching as he stood on sturdy legs and walked toward me. The tag said he was an eight-year-old Dobermann with all his shots.

I hesitantly reached into the cage and let him sniff my hand. He sniffed it slowly before pushing his face into the palm of my hand like a cat. I giggled and pet him lightly. "How much is he?"

The boy looked over. "That guy? One hundred."

I grinned and pulled out the money. The dog was watching me, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. The boy handed me over a form I had to fill out, and soon, I was out of the building, the dog I had named Rain walked beside me easily. The sun was gone by this point, but I felt a bit safer with Rain beside me. He was standing tall and looking around happily. His long leash was tied around my waist so he could walk a bit away, but he still stayed near me.

I led him to the boardwalk, and he seemed to be even more excited with all the people around. He panted loudly and jumped around a bit as I pulled him into the pet shop near the middle of everything. I moved through the aisles, looking at all the things I could possibly get him. I already knew I was going to spoil the dog. He deserved it, after all, and I had a decent amount of money left over as I didn't have to pay much for the house. It was old, and nobody wanted it in the first place.

I was trying to find a better collar for him when I heard a familiar voice. "What're you doing here?"

I turned a bit to see Dwayne standing beside me, an eyebrow raised as he smiled at me. "I think that's probably one of the dumbest things you've asked me," I stated, grabbing a blue collar off the shelf and dumping it in my basket.

Dwayne shrugged and followed me as I walked through the aisle. I grabbed a few things like treats and such, placing them all in my basket. I turned a bit to see Rain staring at Dwayne, his stance showing that he was on edge. "It seems that Rain doesn't like you too much," I stated, watching as Dwayne's eyes flitted to the dog and then back to me.

"Dogs don't like us very much," he replied, shrugging his shoulders again.

"I see." I looked through the dog beds, knowing he would need a decently large one. "And why would that be?"

"They detect danger pretty well."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that a threat," I teased, raising my eyebrows.

Dwayne smirked. "If you see it that way."

He really didn't say much. I hummed and picked up a dog bed, handing it over to him. "Well, Mr. Threatening, if you're going to be walking with me, you need to help me carry stuff."

Dwayne chuckled. "Yes, ma'am." It was quiet for a few moments, and he spoke again. "So, why'd you get a dog anyway?"

I looked at Rain who was still staring at Dwayne. "Makes me feel a bit safer."

"We'll keep you safe, princess."

I rolled my eyes. "You literally just said you're dangerous. Don't go try to flip your story."

"Well, we _are_ dangerous. We're just not dangerous to _you_."

I sighed and grabbed a large bag of food, also handing it to him as he was obviously stronger than me. "That sounds cliché. I don't like clichés." I led Dwayne to the counter so I could pay for everything.

Dwayne chuckled and shook his head. "Somehow, princess, I really don't believe that."

I faked a gasp and placed my hand over my heart. "Clichés are just so predictable."

"You like predictable, though."

"Oh, how do you know me so well?"

Dwayne grinned and set down the food and bed on the counter. The lady quickly scanned everything and read off my total. I handed over the money, and then we were out of the story. Dwayne was on the side Rain wasn't on, and I felt him leading me toward where the boys were last night.

Soon, Marko and Paul were in my view, and almost immediately, I had Paul dragging me away from Dwayne, pulling me into a hug. I heard Rain growl lowly, and I turned and shushed him quickly. "They're fine, boy," I stated, patting his head as Paul let go of me.

"When'd you get a _dog_ ," Marko questioned, sending a glare to Rain.

I placed my hands on his hips and glared at him. "This afternoon. Do you have a problem with him?"

"I just don't like dogs that much."

I rolled my eyes. "And I don't like you that much, but you don't see me complaining."

Marko gasped loudly, and I watched him place his hand against his forehead and fall against Paul who caught him easily. Dwayne and David laughed easy laughs, and I grinned brightly. "I'm hurt, Angel!"

I laughed loudly and shook my head.

David spoke up next from where he was sitting. "What are your plans tonight, sweetheart?"

I turned to David. "I planned on going home. No point in opening up shop this late, and I haven't gotten any orders over the phone, so I was just gonna set up his area." I scratched behind Rain's ear, listening to him pant from happiness. "You guys can come if you want, though I'm sure you have better things to do. My house isn't as cool as yours."

"I wanna go," Paul yelled, springing to life and rolling his eyes as Marko – who was still leaning against him – whined.

I grinned and shrugged my shoulders. "I'm walking, though. I only live about a five-minute walk from here."

"We can leave our bikes," David stated, smiling as I nodded happily. "But we need to stop by a store first so you can meet someone."

I nodded, and David walked over and wrapped his arm around my waist. Dwayne stood beside him, obviously not wanting to get near Rain. Marko and Paul were behind us, poking fun and hitting each other. I was surprised they were able to make the short walk without killing each other. Paul skipped ahead of us and stepped into what looked like a video shop first. We followed in suit, and I looked around at the multiple TVs playing different things. David tightened his grip a bit on me as we approached the man sitting at the counter who was glaring at the boys. Marko had disappeared, messing with different TVs while Paul was going through the racks of cassettes.

"David, what did I say about showing up in my shop?"

David rolled his eyes and pushed me forward just a bit. "This is Evangeline. Evangeline, this is basically our adopted dad, Max."

I looked at David for a second before gingerly holding out my hand for him to shake. He dropped his shoulders as he shook my hand, a fake smile on his face. "Nice to meet you, Evangeline. How do you know my boys?"

I winced as I heard a shelf fall over followed by a round of cursing by Paul who called Marko over to help him fix the mess. "They seemed to have found a certain interest in me, and I can't find it in myself to stay away from them if I'm being honest."

Max nodded at that, his eyes flitting to David, a look in his eyes that said he was asking a question I didn't know. David nodded, and Max turned back to me. "Well, I hope you find yourself a spot in our small family. I know the boys can be _annoying_ to say the least." A sharp 'hey' from Marko made him pause, but he continued after a few seconds. "But you seem like a wonderful girl. I'd like to get to know you more at some point, but I really don't want them in my shop longer than they have to be."

"Of course. It was nice meeting you, Max." Max smiled, and David pulled me out of the shop. Dwayne seemed to let out a breath of relief, and I heard Paul and Marko bumbling after us.

I turned to David who was already looking at me. "Now, to my house?"

David nodded, and I grinned a bit, moving out of his grip but taking his hand as I lead them through the crowd. My house was only a short distance away, and it was easy to navigate through the crowd when it seemed like everybody moved out of the boys' way.

My house wasn't the best house around, but it got the job done. I didn't particularly like it, but I took every step possible to make it more and more like a home. It truly never was one, though. It was just a place I could go at the end of the day. It was a rickety old wooden building that I had taken off the hands of an old man. It was almost completely paid off, and it was down a road that was hidden by trees. My mother used to joke about how I was the old witch in the woods. I just laughed it off.

Marko and Paul seemed to enjoy the woods surrounding my house, though, as they took off playing hide and seek happily. As we stepped into the open patch of woods that led to my house, I watched as Paul tackled Marko to the floor, both laughing loudly. I smiled at them and fiddled with the keys to my door. I opened the door slowly and stepped inside, flicking on the lights. "You guys can come inside! Dwayne, please set down the dog's stuff in my bedroom. It's the door down the hall, second on the left," I called out as I dropped my stuff on the kitchen counter and filled a watering can with water after I had unhooked Rain from his leash so he could explore. I moved easily through my house, watering all the plants by the window. I turned to see Paul already laid across one of my couches, fiddling with my radio, while Marko was flipping through one of my sketchbooks. David seemed to be taking in the small area, and Dwayne was still in my bedroom.

I hummed and walked toward my bedroom, curious to see what Dwayne was doing. As I stepped inside, I saw him staring at my wall of art. The area above my bed was covered in paintings and sketches of different people I saw on the boardwalk. Whenever someone stopped long enough, and I was having a slow day, I would draw them and tack it up above my bed. My favorite one, however, was the large canvas that hung in the middle of everything. It was of me as a vampire, something I had done for art class two years ago. We had to draw ourselves as mythical creatures to test our creative abilities, and I had chosen to draw a portrait of myself, my finger on my lip with an elongated nail dragging down my lip so fangs covered in blood were shown. My eyes were a soft gold that pulled everything together.

"You do that," Dwayne questioned, pointing to it.

I nodded, a small smile on my face. "Yeah, I did it for art class. It was at the time where I was obsessed with the idea of vampires."

Dwayne nodded. "Marko said you believed in them. Why?"

I shrugged. "There's no reason for me not to believe. If people can believe in angels and God, why can't I believe in the supernatural? I mean, imagine being immortal and almost unstoppable."

"Wouldn't you miss the daytime, though?"

I laughed. "I would miss garlic more than I missed the daytime. The dark wouldn't scare me if I knew I could defend myself."

"What about killing people?"

I shrugged my shoulders again. "Why couldn't I just kill the bad guys? We've got plenty of those in the world."

Dwayne looked over. "You've thought about this a lot, haven't you?"

"I just told you that I used to be obsessed with them. Of course, I've thought about it."

Dwayne smiled a toothy grin and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me out of my bedroom. "I think we should have a discussion."


	6. Chapter 6

**vi.**

Dwayne led me out of my bedroom and to the living room where I quickly sat down on the beat-up recliner that I had gotten from a thrift shop. Dwayne sat on the ground while David sat on my other recliner and Paul was laid across the sofa with Marko in his lap, playing with his hair as they listened to music. The three seemed to perk up as I entered the room, eyes following me making me just a bit uncomfortable.

I sat up a bit in my chair, smiling. "So, what do we need to talk about? Nothing bad, I hope."

David was the one to speak. "Was what you said in there true?"

I raised an eyebrow. How could he hear me? I wasn't talking _that_ loud. Was I? "I mean, yeah. Tenth grade me would be screaming at the opportunity to become a vampire."

"What if we could give you that opportunity?"

David's voice was deathly calm, and it was the only thing that kept me from laughing. "What? Is this some kind of cult?" David glared at the question, and I simply shrugged my shoulders. "I thought it was a valid question," I mumbled, slumping in my seat with my arms crossed. Paul laughed a bit, but he quieted when David glared at him.

"I'm being serious."

I huffed and rolled my eyes. "And how exactly would you be able to do that?"

"Because we _are_ vampires."

I sighed and stared at him. "Okay, I realize that I look dumb and all, but I don't think I would be _that_ gullible. I mean, really? What would a group of vampires want to do with me besides _eat_ me?"

"I'm always up for eating you _out_ ," Marko mumbled from where his face was buried in Paul's shoulder.

I shook my head at him and stared at the two on the couch as I spoke. "I mean, am I really-" I cut myself off as I turned to David to see his face completely distorted. His eyes had turned a bright shade of gold while his teeth elongated while his face distorted into a snarl. I stared at him for a few seconds, trying to find it in myself to move. My heart was beating faster than I thought possible. "Okay, well, you see-" I started before I flung myself out of my chair and booked it to my bedroom.

I threw myself into my room and slammed the door shut, locking it even though I knew it would do no good. I could faintly hear Dwayne go 'fuck' and Marko yell out a 'what the hell, Paul' as his body hit the ground. I looked around my room for anywhere to hide before I decided to do the most childish thing possible and hide under the bed. I scrambled under the tight space and watched the bedroom door from the shadows.

"Evangeline," David called out as he knocked on the door. I stayed silent, trying to lower my heart rate the most I could, though I was utterly terrified. Sure, I had talked about them before, but this was different. They were _real_. _Really real!_ And in my _house_! I wanted to scream, but I knew it would do no good.

"Angel?" That was Marko.

"Come on, doll!" Paul.

"We're not going to hurt you, Princess." Lastly, Dwayne.

They sounded so concerned and genuine, and I almost pulled myself out, but I stayed still, staring at the door. "How do I know that?" I wanted to say that my voice was strong and powerful and that I felt confident when saying it, but in truth, my voice wavered and cracked at the end, and I swear, I heard one of them whimper.

"We haven't hurt you yet. Why don't you trust us?" Paul's voice was desperate as he spoke.

I paused. They hadn't hurt me at all. They just made me confused and a bit aroused. That was it. "Then what do you want with me?" That time, I screamed it out, on the verge of tears. I had thought about dying before, but I couldn't deny that I was fearful of it, and these boys could kill me in an instant. I still didn't know why they hadn't walked into my room yet. Maybe they were giving me space.

"I need to tell you that face-to-face," David responded, and I heard someone turn the doorknob. "Can we come in?"

I wanted to say no. I wanted to crawl out from my bed and jump out of my window, but I knew I couldn't. There would be no point in running even if I could make it out of the house. They would find me; I had no doubt. So, I simply squeaked out a small 'yea' and tried to push myself as close to the wall as possible.

The door opened slowly, and I watched as four pairs of boots walked in, one after the other. Dwayne was the one to notice where I was first, and he fell to his knees and peeked under the bed to see me curled in the corner. My frightened eyes stared back at his worried ones, and I watched as all the boys followed his lead and peaked under the bed.

"Can you come out for us, princess," Dwayne questioned, reaching his hand under for me to grab.

I hesitated for a moment before reaching out and taking his hand, letting him pull me from what felt like safety. I was shaking terribly, and I could tell that they noticed. Dwayne lifted me up carefully and sat me down on my bed while they continued to surround me. I looked down and played with my fingers, trying to breathe properly.

I gasped a bit when I felt David's gloved hand softly grab my chin and pull it to where I was looking him in the eyes. I stared at him, and he stared back for a few seconds like he was looking for something. "You've felt it, haven't you?" His voice was soft, barely there. "That feeling you don't understand. It's the reason you feel so comfortable around us. It's why you don't mind us staring and why you felt comfortable kissing Paul when you first met him. You feel it, don't you."

I nodded slowly, still matching his gaze. "Yes. With all of you." My voice was barely there, even softer than David's, but he still heard me.

"Do you want to know what it is?" David tilted his head a bit as he asked.

I paused for a second, and I felt myself think back to all the vampire fiction I had read years ago – the romance novels, the old tales from even older books, the survival guides. I had read them all. "Am I your mate," I questioned, looking away for a second before meeting his gaze again.

David seemed taken aback for a second before he nodded slowly. "How do you know that?"

I blushed bright red, and I heard Marko and Paul laugh a bit. "I read a _few_ books." My eyes subconsciously drifted to my large bookshelf filled with novels about vampires. Dwayne laughed at that one as he scanned over the selection. I could tell he knew a few of them. "But I haven't read one where she had _multiple_ mates."

David chuckled. "It's called a pack mate, sweetheart. If you have a strong enough connection with your vampire family, you'll end up sharing a mate so you aren't torn apart when individual members find one. We share you."

I blushed again. "I feel like a whore," I mumbled, pulling out of David's grip. He let out a guttural growl like the one I had heard a few nights before.

"Don't call yourself that."

"Well, it's true," I whined, slumping my shoulders. "I have _four_ mates. That's a bit whorish!" David growled again, and I sighed, standing up. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him in for a hug. "I didn't say I didn't want to be with you guys. It's just not normal."

"Do you want normal?"

I thought for a second before shaking my head. "I've been living normally my whole life. Maybe you guys can change that."

David chuckled before I was pulled from his grasp and into another chest, and if the feeling of mesh on my mid-riff told me anything, it was Paul.

"Group hug," Marko yelled out, wrapped his arms around me from behind. "You guys have to join, too!"

I heard a grunt, and soon, I was surrounded by all four of my boys. "This is the dumbest thing I've done all week," David grumbled lightly, but he had complied, and I was happy. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

After a few seconds, everyone pulled away, and I felt Paul throw me over his shoulder. "You have _got_ to stop doing that," I screeched, trying to fix my skirt without falling onto the floor.

Paul laughed and swatted my hand with his free one. "Don't move it! I'm enjoying the view."

I groaned and fell limp against him. "Where are you taking me?"

"Right here," he responded, and I was moved so fast I couldn't comprehend anything for a second. When I was able to focus again, and I found myself straddling Paul on the sofa while he laid against the cushions with a lazy grin on his face. I rolled my eyes and fell on top of him, laying my legs between his and my head on his shoulder like Marko had done before.

I took a few moments to get comfortable before sighing softly. "You're really soft, Paul," I mumbled. He laughed a bit, and I twirled my fingers through his hair before growing bored. The boys had taken back to their activities from before, and I was left physically and emotionally exhausted. Paul rubbed his hand against my back, and I sighed softly, snuggling into him. I felt my eyes close, and I did nothing to stop them. Paul sang softly to the song on the radio, and though he wasn't the best, his voice helped me calm down just a bit to where I was drifting in and out of consciousness. I could vaguely make out when Marko had talked a bit too loud, and the boys immediately shushed him, when they had changed the stations, when Marko went rummaging through my fridge, complaining that there was nothing good, and when Dwayne had picked me up from Paul, much to his complaint, and took me to my room while David told the boys to clean up the messes they had made.

The last memory I had before drifting completely to sleep for the night was each of the boys pressing a kiss to a part of my face. Dwayne had been first, pressing a kiss to my forehead while mumbling 'goodnight, princess.' Paul had pressed one to my cheek with a 'see ya tomorrow, girl.' Marko had jokingly kissed the tip of my nose, whispering a 'night, angel.' David had been last, pressing a kiss to my other cheek. "Stay safe, sweetheart."

Then, I was out like a light, dreaming about the four boys who had taken over my life in only a few days.


	7. Chapter 7

**vii.**

The next day, I woke up to Rain licking my face as he stood above me. I grumbled and pushed him away, but he pawed at me until I dragged myself from my bed. I scratched behind his ear and watched as he panted happily. "Where'd you go last night, bud? Could've used you to protect me."

Rain ignored me and walked out of my room. I followed and looked around the house. Everything seemed to be cleaned up from last night, and two bowls were laid down filled with food and water for Rain. His bed was laid down beside it. My radio was set back in its spot, and my sketchbooks were back on my shelf, stacked neatly. I smiled a bit and thanked them in my head.

I knew that I needed to open up shop because of all the money I had spent on my new dog. The boys knew where to find me if they wanted to. I read the time off of a clock hanging in my kitchen and sighed before moving back to my room. I didn't have very long to get ready and be out. Maybe I could grab some food on the way home. With my new dog, I felt a bit safer, but I would still stop by a quick place.

I nodded to myself and went about my activities, pulling on a new set of green, lace underwear before deciding that I would pull out a pair of leather pants I hadn't worn in quite some time. They clung to me like a second skin, and the sides of the pants were non-existent, instead being held together by clasps. They thankfully rose to the waist. I grinned at myself in the mirror and pulled on a black crop top that was tied in the front. Lately, I slid on a pair of biker gloves that looked similar to David's. As I stared at myself in the mirror, I took note of the fact that I almost looked like one of the boys. I needed a jacket and maybe to fluff my hair a bit more. I hummed and pulled a comb through my locks, teasing it higher than normal. I finished the look with a pair of ankle boots, a studded belt, a smoky eye look, and bright red lipstick. I hadn't dressed like this since my days in high school when I joined a punk club to fit in somewhere. I silently thanked my younger self before grabbing my bag, hooking my dog on my belt, and walking outside, prepared to face another day in the shop.

The walk there was short as normal, and soon, I found myself in my shop, taking care of flowers and bouncing to a Misfits song on the radio. It seemed that my music was even reflecting my mood today. I had been there for about three hours when Marigold walked in, her eyes wide at the sight of me. The day had been busy, and I had made about seven of the fifteen I was supposed to make at that time. A few people had come in for small bouquets, and only two of the fifteen had picked up yet. I knew I couldn't leave until everyone had come.

I had just finished wrapping a bouquet for a walk-in customer, an old lady with a kind smile that complimented my outfit a bit as she stared around the shop. She had ordered a dozen begonias to give to her husband as a gift. She had handed over the change when I heard a loud 'holy shit.' I immediately looked up, meeting the eyes of my friend.

"Language, Marigold," I scolded, handing the lady back her change. "I'm sorry about her, miss. I hope you have a wonderful day."

"You too, dear." The lady walked out, sending a quick once-over to the girl that was already making her way toward me.

I barely heard the door shut when I felt her lips on mine, her hand on the back of my neck. I pulled away quickly, gasping a bit. She seemed taken back when I did so, her eyes dazed. "Why'd you pull away?"

I paused. How did I tell her that we couldn't do that anymore? I mean, technically I wasn't dating them yet, but how could I do that with the knowledge I had now? I couldn't betray my mates like that. It would hurt them. I couldn't deny that her kiss felt wrong at that point. The soft lips I had grown to love weren't right for me anymore, and I couldn't deny it. "We can't do that anymore, Marigold."

Marigold raised her eyebrows, reeling back a bit. "What? Why?"

"I found someone," I mumbled, looking down so I didn't have to see her look of sadness.

"What?" Her voice cracked as she spoke, and I sighed softly.

"Come on. You don't get to cry. You used to do this to me all the time. If you really cared, you would have made things official. I found someone, well, more than one person, but that's not the point. The point is that I can't do that with you anymore. I still want to be friends, but I can't cheat on them."

I looked up to see Marigold's lip upturned to a sneer. "So you're whoring around now?"

I paused, my eyes filling with tears at the sentence. "Come on, Marigold. You don't mean that."

"I can't believe you! I thought we had something! I was going to retry an actual relationship. I was going to make you the happiest girl alive, and yet, you were _whoring_ around with _multiple_ guys?" Her voice was harsh, a voice I hadn't heard in what seemed like years. I blinked back tears and bit my lip to control my sobs.

"Why do you even care? You should have made your move earlier. For years, I've had to hear about these girls you met at different places, random hookups, and people you've kissed for dares! You can't say anything because if anything, you're the whore here!" I tilted my head back, refusing to let tears fall, and gripped my hair. "God, and to think I thought you would actually be happy for me. I found happiness. I took a risk. I'm sorry that it's not what you wanted, but not everything can go your way!" I was screaming at her, and I wanted so desperately to throw something.

Marigold shook her head and turned to look at the setting sun. "I'm out of here. I'll see you later."

I shook my head. "God, I hope not," I mumbled, falling to the ground as she left the shop. Rain padded over to me and whined softly. I smiled a bit at him and felt him crawl into my lap, though he was entirely too big for it, and lay his head on my shoulder. I took deep breaths, trying not to burst out into sobs. Rain sat with me the entire time, refusing to move until I had my breathing under control.

Rain stepped away when I could breathe properly, though I knew I was still on the verge of falling apart. I would wait until I got home to cry. Right now, I had business to do, and though I was originally excited to see my boys, now I dreaded it because I knew the moment I saw them, I would fall apart.

I continued with my work, for the time being, trying to focus on the music instead of my thoughts, but I knew I couldn't do that for long. My mind always overtook everything. Rain was sitting beside me, moving when I moved and sitting when he knew I would be standing in a particular place for a while.

I let my mind take control. I knew it wasn't smart, but when have I ever been. I mean, what if I am a slut? Four boys. I haven't even known them for a full week, and here I was. I showed Paul my body the first day I met him without even thinking about it. I let Marko kiss my neck. I let Paul make out with me. The boys had seen almost every inch of me, and I hadn't even though twice. I was going mad.

I was a whore, an honest-to-god whore.

I worked mindlessly while I thought, and it hadn't even occurred to me the passing of time. Most of the customers had come to grab their flowers, and I was sitting by the phone, hoping the remaining three would call to say they would be coming the next day. It was three hours after Marigold left that they came in and I was snapped out of my trance. It had been dark for two hours at that point.

It wasn't even the bell ringing that knocked me out of the trance; it was Rain growling lowly, standing up defensively. I went to scold her when I locked eyes with Dwayne. I knew he knew something was wrong, and he took a few strides forward and engulfed me in his arms. I rested my head on his chest and immediately began sobbing, an ugly kind of sob that I wish I hadn't done around them because it wasn't pretty. I was a blubbering mess, and I knew my makeup was ruined at that point, but I didn't care. I was focused on crying so I didn't scream and Dwayne's hand moving slowly on my back.

The other boys were there, but they stayed quiet, watching silently. Paul was obviously sad, his eyes never leaving me as tears of his own gathered in his eyes. Marko was confused, trying to figure out if I was hurt physically by looking over me. David was pissed, his hands clenched tightly as he watched.

Dwayne hushed me quietly, whispering in my ear quietly. "Calm down, baby. You're gonna make yourself sick if you keep crying like that. Take deep breaths. Come on, listen. Breathe in, out, in, out." I listened to his soft voice and managed to calm myself down after a few minutes of trying to breathe properly. I was aware of Rain sitting by my feet, watching Dwayne in case he did something.

"I'm okay," I mumbled, my sobs haven turned to water running down my cheeks. "I'm fine. I'm okay."

"No, you're not," Dwayne responded. "And it's okay. You're allowed to cry, princess."

I pulled away from him, sniffling lightly. "I'm sorry. You didn't need to see that."

David spoke, and I watched as he moved to where I was. I could tell he was trying to calm down, but anger spiked in his eyes. "What happened?"

I took a moment to breathe, wiping underneath my eyes in hope that it would do anything to make me look at least a bit better. "I'm a whore." David growled. "And I know you said not to say that but it's true. Even Marigold believes it." My voice trailed off at the end, and I thought I might cry again. I saw David and Marko stiffen while the others stared with a confused look.

"What happened?"

I wrapped my arms around David's neck and held him close to me so I could feel him but not have to look in his eyes. I rested my head on his shoulder while he had to bend down a bit so I was comfortable. "I was here, and she came in when I first opened up, and she saw me and kissed me, and I pulled back because I didn't wanna do that, y'know. She got confused and asked why I pulled away, and I told her I found somebody, and then I corrected myself to _people_ , and then, she got real mad. I mean, she didn't have the right to. We weren't _dating_ , but then when she kissed me, it felt so _wrong_ , and I thought about when Marko kissed me and that felt _right_ , y'know. So, like, she yelled at me, and then, I yelled at her, and she said I was whoring around now, and she kept calling me a whore, and then she stormed out, and I was trying not to cry, but we haven't fought like that in years, and I don't want to hurt her, but she hurt me, and I don't know what I did wrong." I was crying again, rivers falling from my eyes and onto David's jacket, and I felt bad. David's arms had considerably tightened around me through the story, but not to the point where it hurt.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Marko stated, moving to stand in front of me. "You said no. There's nothing wrong with having boundaries, and she should have respected that, and you're _not_ a whore. I'm sorry she called you that, but you're _not_. You fell in love with a few people. So what? It's not like you're going behind our backs with each other. _That_ would make you a whore."

I huffed a bit and laid my head against David's jacket. "I'm sorry you had to see me like that."

"You shouldn't be sorry, princess," Dwayne scolded. I nodded, and I thought, at that moment, that there would never be a place safer than David's arms while the boys surrounded me.

I took a deep breath and pulled out of David's grasp, moving back to my desk so I could find a mirror and fix my messed-up makeup. I groaned at the splotchy looking mess of eyeshadow. The lipstick was simply smudged, but I would need something else entirely to fix this eyeshadow. I looked around and grabbed a paper towel, wetting it slightly, and dragged it across my eyes, trying to take everything off.

"You look beautiful," Paul mumbled, leaning over so he could prop his head on his arm on the counter. "Like, really, really, beautiful. I mean, you look beautiful no matter what, but you look extra pretty today."

I smiled a bit at that, wiping the last bit of eyeshadow and mascara from my eyes. "Thank you, Paul."

Next thing I knew, Marko's arms were around my waist, and his lips were on my neck. I giggled loudly before moaning a bit as he sucked a spot on my neck. My head lolled to the side to give him more access, and I sent a lazy smile to the boys.

"You enjoying yourself there, sweetheart," David questioned, a smug look on his face. I hummed and nodded a bit before grabbing one of Marko's hands and intertwining it with mine.

Marko pulled away after a few seconds, and I groaned a bit at the mirror. A hickey was already blooming on my neck. I pouted as Marko laughed at my disgruntled look. "Come on, baby. It's not that bad."

"Whatever," I grumbled. "Guess I'll just have payback later."

Marko grinned, pressing a kiss on my cheek. "I like that idea."

I climbed on top of the counter and sat down with my legs crossed, staring at the boys as Marko went to join them. Paul was smoking another blunt, staring around my shop in wonder, David was watching Paul with a small smile on his face, and Dwayne was staring above me at the dreamcatcher on the wall. "You know, you're supposed to put that above your bed," Dwayne stated, staring at the ring.

I nodded, leaning my cheek on my hand. "Yeah, but I didn't have room in my room, so I brought it here instead."

"Why don't you leave it in the cave?"

"And why would I do that?"

"Well, you'll be spending a lot of time there from now on if I remember correctly."

I hummed and leaned forward. "And where did you get this memory?"

"I'm not sure," Dwayne mumbled, stepping forward as I reached my arms out for him. "Perhaps I should ask you. Would you like to hang out in the cave more often?"

I giggled and nodded, and I grinned as Dwayne leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. His kiss was soft, but it lingered even after he pulled away. "So, what do you guys have planned tonight?"

"Well, we were going to take you back to the cave, and I guess that means your mutt has to go to," David stated, walking forward toward Dwayne and I. I glared at bit as he said mutt.

"You're going to have to grow to love him. Maybe he'll save your life one day," I stated, grinning as he rolled his eyes.

"Like hell. That dog couldn't do damage if it wanted to." David laughed at my fake angry expression. "You're cute, sweetheart, but that isn't doing much."

I huffed and climbed off the counter as the shop phone rang. "Wings and Feathers Flower Shop. Evangeline is speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hi, I ordered a bouquet of flowers earlier today, but I don't think I'll be able to make it tonight though I said I would." I nodded a bit and looked over at the three bouquets. "May I get a name?"

"It was under Jennifer."

I nodded again. "Okay, thank you. Do you know when you'll be able to get them?" I watched as Paul tried picking a flower from one of the pots only for his hand to be swatted by Marko's. David laughed quietly at the pair while Dwayne was watching me. I sent him a quick wink.

"Most likely tomorrow. I'm sorry to cause any inconvenience."

"You're quite alright, ma'am. Thank you for calling."

"Of course." Then, the line went dead, and I swooped up the vase of flowers meant for her and dumped some more food in so it would last through the night before setting it near the window. "Paul," I said as I passed him, "if you want a flower, just tell me, but please don't pick them. This isn't the woods."

Paul huffed but nodded, staring up at the group of chrysanthemums. "Can I have one of those?"

I nodded, and a smile overtook his face as I went to grab a ladder and some scissors. Paul was practically bouncing as I climbed up so I was face to face with the group and snipped two or three, leaving plenty of stem. I turned and handed them down to him which he took greedily. I sat back down on the counter and turned to David. "I'll come to the cave, but I need to wait until the last two people come or until shop closes. Can we stop by somewhere to eat on the way as well? Well, I don't even know if you guys eat food, but I need some because I haven't eaten since I woke up, and I'm starving."

David laughed and nodded. I hopped down from the counter as a customer walked in, and then, I only had one more set of flowers to go until I could leave. My stomach was getting louder, and I frowned when the guys laughed at it. There was still another three hours until closing time, but I silently hoped the lady coming for her flowers would hurry up, and, as if my wishes were heard, the lady walked in ten minutes later as I was trying to keep Paul from grabbing flowers in his high haze. He simply giggled every time I did so.

The guys cheered once she left, and I smiled as I began closing up, packing everything away and turning off the lights, grabbing the money, and flipping the sign to closed. I hooked Rain onto my belt, and he walked in front of us, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth as he looked around at everything.

"What do you want to eat," David questioned, wrapping his arm around my shoulder while Dwayne wrapped his around my waist. Marko and Paul stood behind us, smoking a joint without fear of being stopped.

I hummed and looked around for a little bit before my eyes fell on a small restaurant that was themed around the 50s. I grinned, and David followed my gaze and led us there. I looked around happily once we entered. Checkered floors, red booths, counter seats, a jukebox sitting in the back. This place was practically heaven. I unclipped Rain from my belt and sat him beside the door, hooking him to a small handle in the wall for animals. I made my way over to a booth and sat in between David and Dwayne while Paul and Marko sat on the other side. Their joint was out, but their eyes were red, and silly smiles sat on their face.

"Dude," I heard Paul whisper to Marko, "we should totally get, like, a milkshake with two straws and be romantic and shit."

Marko giggled and shook his head. "No, you pothead. You'll drink it all before I even get a sip."

Paul nodded slowly before staring out the window, watching the people pass by. I grinned at them, and soon, a waitress was walking up to us, a small smile on her face. She handed out menus, and I smiled at her, but her attention was on Marko. She stared at him for a few seconds before looking back around. "What can I get you guys to drink?"

Paul and Marko ordered their milkshakes, chocolate and strawberry respectfully, while David and Dwayne ordered sodas, and I ordered a water. I never was a fan of carbonated drinks. "Hey, David," I questioned when she walked away, "do you have a few quarters?" David nodded and pulled out his wallet, handing over four of them. "Okay, now, let me out."

David moved out, and I slid out, walking quickly to the jukebox that was currently playing a 50s song. It was filled with 80s music, though, and I placed all four quarters in, choosing four different songs. I cheered quietly as Madonna started playing quietly. 'Like a Virgin' filtered through the speakers, and I swayed my hips to the music as I walked back. David and Dwayne watched me like a hawk, eyes drawn to the movement. David slid out again, and I sat down easily, smiling at the two.

I hummed along to the lyrics as I flipped through the menu, deciding to just go easy and get chicken tenders, knowing it was something that most places couldn't mess up. "Like a virgin touched for the very first time," I sang, meeting David's eyes as I did so. He raised his eyebrows a bit, a smirk sitting on his face. "Like a virgin when your heart beats next to mine." David took my hand, intertwining our fingers as I sang to him, getting closer with each word. "Gonna give you all my love, boy. My fear is fading fast. Been saving it all for you 'cause only love can last." David chuckled a bit and leaned in, pressing his lips to mine quickly. I hummed against him, letting him take control. I pulled away a few seconds later and watched as our waitress walked out with our drinks, placing them down carefully.

"What can I get for you guys?" Paul and Marko said they didn't want anything, but Dwayne ordered them a basket of fries and him a burger. David got a cheeseburger, and I asked for the chicken basket. She smiled and took our plates.

I giggled as Paul and Marko tried to suck down their drinks quickly, excited. "If you drink that so fast, it won't last very long, and then, you'll just be sad." Marko huffed and nodded while Paul grinned a toothy grin.

"They're children," Dwayne stated, watching as Paul flicked Marko on the forehead. I nodded in agreement.

The dinner went by quickly with Paul and Marko making jabs at each other while Dwayne watched them and David kissed me every few moments as I tried to sing and eat. Overall, I was one happy girl as we left to go to the cave. I looked down at Rain with a questioning look as we approached the bikes. Marko caught sight of where I was looking, and he grinned, stating that he would fly the dog to the cave if I took his bike. "You guys can fly," was my only question as Marko grabbed Rain who surprisingly relaxed in his arms and took off. I huffed as he disappeared in the distance and stared down at his bike. "I don't even know how to drive this," I grumbled.

Paul laughed and sat down on his bike. "It's pretty much the same as yours, princess. It just goes a bit faster."

I nodded and slid onto the seat, flicking it on. I listened to the purr and smiled a bit. "Don't worry, babe," David called out of the humming of the bikes, "we'll go a little slower so you can keep up."

"Yeah, right," I called out, revving the engine. "Try me."

With that, we were off, jumping off the boardwalk like we had done my first night with them. We took down the beach and raced happily, hollering and shouting in happiness. There was nothing like riding a motorcycle. The drive was short, and soon, we were in front of the cave. I could already hear music, and I didn't object as Paul threw me over his shoulder again. I grinned at the sight of Marko laid out on one of the couches, Rain laid on the ground beside him.

"Hey, Angel," he called out. I hummed, not able to really look at him because of Paul's arm. "I think I might take your dog from you."

"Please don't," I responded, yelping as Paul pulled the same move he had last night, but this time, he was sitting up while I was in his lap.

"Hey," Paul simply said before pressing our lips together. I rolled my eyes but kissed back, tangling my hands in his hair. Paul only let go so I could breathe for a second before he leaned forward to kiss me again, smiling at my out of breath state. I moved my hips against his slowly, grinning at his low moan against me as I did so. I pulled away a few seconds later, laughing a bit at the lipstick stained on his lips and the dazed look in his eyes.

"Maybe another night," I stated simply before moving from his lips to David who was sitting in a wheelchair.

David pulled me into his lap and kissed my forehead. "You looked like you were enjoying yourself."

"I was," I stated, a dumb grin on my face. David laughed a bit and pulled me closer to him, his fingers tapping on my thighs to the beat of the music -music I didn't recognize- spilling from the speakers. "I'm tired, David," I mumbled against his shoulder. He chuckled a bit and nodded, and then, I was being lifted into his arms as he stood up. I groaned as he set me onto the bed I had slept in two nights before. "Can you guys lay with me tonight?" I looked at him with pleading eyes, and he grinned back.

"Your wish is my command, sweetheart," he stated as he picked me up again, "but we have to go somewhere else because the light will come in from there." I nodded against him, watching as the boys began following up. Paul met my eyes and winked while Dwayne smiled, and Marko waved, a dumb grin on his face.

David pulled me into a room deeper in the caves, and Marko quickly moved around, pulling a match from Paul's jacket and lighting the candles around the room. The bed was huge, and I smiled as David placed me on it. I watched as he stripped from his jacket and gloves, leaving his jeans on. The boys followed, easing off their clothes. I sighed and moved forward so I could stand, knowing I couldn't sleep in my clothes. I eased off my shirt first, and then, all attention was on me. My gloves were next. Then, my shoes. Lastly, my pants. I heard a few of them catch their breath at the sight, but I ignored them, crawling into the bed and under the covers.

"Oh, and I brought the stuff from your house for your dog, so he can sleep out there. You guys took forever to get here," Marko commented, grinning at my satisfied smile. I wouldn't have to leave at all tomorrow. I could have a day with my boys.

I thanked him quickly, and I watched as they all crawled under the covers, taking up different positions. David and Dwayne were on either side of me while Marko laid between my legs like I had done with Paul last night. Paul was laid a bit awkwardly, but he didn't seem to mind it. His head was on one of my legs where Dwayne had made room from him. He seemed determined to latch himself to it, and I chuckled lightly. "Goodnight, boys."

"Goodnight."


	8. Chapter 8

**viii.**

A few weeks passed after that, and soon, fall weather was coming in. It had been two months with the boys, and it seemed that time passed effortlessly when I was around them. They had proven to protect me and annoy me at all costs, and my normal routines had changed drastically.

Marigold had come and apologized a few days after the incident while David was sitting with me in my shop. Though I didn't think I could ever fully forgive her, she had persisted in staying my friend, showing up almost every night to talk to me before leaving. I was surprised none of the boys had threatened her yet, but I ignored it.

My business had a spike in sales, and it seemed that even more people were coming in to buy flowers, but the reasons also seemed a bit happier than usual. I blamed it on one of the other flower shops of the town closing down, though it didn't have much business, to begin with.

It had become the usual for at least one of the boys to sit in the shop with me while I worked, and though I did enjoy the company, they made it a bit harder to work considering they didn't know how to keep their hands to themselves. There had been a few times where I had threatened to go home and uninvite them for the night if they kept things up, and there was an almost immediate response every time. Marko was the worst out of all of them when it came to touching while Paul was a close second. Paul was a nuisance in shop simply because he had taken to making me give him certain flowers so he could put them in his hair. Marko had braided him flower crowns a few times, and though I was happy he seemed to like flowers so much, it sucked when I had to take to planting more and more to keep up with him and my business. Dwayne didn't do much when he came around to sit with me. He would bring a book or two to occupy himself, only messing with me when I was having a slow day. Those days, I wasn't able to leave his arms, and I would walk into the cave with a plethora of new hickeys. When David was in shop, he watched everything with a careful eye, constantly scanning me or the customers that walked in. There had been a few instances where I had to tell him to calm down a bit because he was scaring the customers, but he just rolled his eyes and told me he was trying to keep me safe. I pointed out Rain who always laid down by the door, and he would make a comment of how he was a thousand times better than the dog in protection, but he would try to calm down a bit. He never did.

After shop, I would stop by my house for clothes for the next day, though most had already been moved to the cave, and anything I wanted that night. Slowly, my house was becoming barer and barer as I moved to the boys' cave without even thinking about it. My bed was either the one in the lobby of the cave or the one in the back caverns depending on my mood that night. There were nights where I wanted to sleep alone or with Rain, and those were the nights I slept in the lobby while the boys slept in an elevator shaft, something I had learned about after a month of living with them.

They had taken to making a bathroom in one of the backrooms with working water and everything, though I was thoroughly confused as to how they did it. I was happy, though, and they told me about how they had been needed a shower or bathtub for quite some time, but they had constantly been putting it off.

Everything seemed to be settling down until Max had come to the boys with some news while I was out with Paul. I was riding his back while we looked around the boardwalk for anything to entertain us with, both high off our asses. My shop was closed for the night, and Paul had offered to take me around. We rode the carousel about three times and a random roller coaster once, but nothing else seemed to pique our interest that night, so Paul was taking us to the boys. I messed with the small dandelions placed in his blonde locks and hummed along to a song playing through the speakers. Every so often, I would press a kiss to his neck or cheek to which he smiled at.

I smiled when the boys entered my sight, but it dropped when I noticed their annoyed expressions. "What's wrong," I questioned, jumping off Paul's back and fixing my long gypsy skirt. My bare feet barely touched the ground before I was lifted into another set of arms – Dwayne's. "Hey, warrior," I mumbled against his shoulder, wrapping my legs around his waist as he grabbed my thighs to help me.

"Princess," he stated, kissing my cheek.

I hummed at the nickname. "What's got you guys all annoyed?"

"We'll talk about it in the cave. We were waiting on you guys to get back."

I nodded and dropped from his arms, climbing on his bike behind him easily. I wrapped my arms around his waist, and we sped off to the cave.

When we entered the familiar area, I immediately sat down on one of the couches. Marko followed me and laid on top of me, his legs between mine and face on my chest. I rolled my eyes but let it slide, looking toward David as he began speaking. "Sweetheart, some things are gonna start changing around here." I raised an eyebrow, a bit focused on Rain curling up next to Paul on the floor. "Max found a woman he likes quite a bit, and he wants us to become friends with her daughter so the mother would be more inclined to join the family."

I sat still for a second before glancing up at him. "You guys aren't going to leave me, right?"

David shook his head, a pained looked on his face. "We'd never leave you." His voice was soft but firm.

I nodded and ran my hand through Marko's curls, laughing a bit as his body released a purring-like sound. "Well, what's her name?"

"Star," he stated easily. "She's seventeen, and she looks like a boho gypsy. She's very quiet, and she doesn't really seem like she'll fit in with our group, but we'll just have to figure it out."

I nodded and sighed quietly. "When will we _begin_ , uh, letting her in?"

"Tomorrow night, sweetheart. Max is supposed to introduce her to us before he goes on a date with whats-her-name."

I nodded again, looking around at my boys. The cave fell quiet besides soft music that Dwayne had put on a few moments ago. It was a peaceful kind of silence, and I watched as a few pigeons flew around. I learned they were Marko's self-proclaimed pigeons after I found an entire sketchbook filled with pictures of them. Marko was an artistic kind of boy, and his clothing certainly reflected it.

I hummed along to the music as I began braiding loose braids into Marko's hair. He continued his purring, moving so he was more comfortable against me. I smiled a bit at that, and I watched from the corner of my eye as David stood from his chair, making easy steps toward me. I turned my head toward him as I felt his hand grab my chin softly and pull me toward him.

He bent down slowly and pressed his lips against mine. I sighed a bit, trying to lean up the best I could with Marko still on top of me. His pace was slow and almost romantic, and it made my insides flutter just a bit. David pulled away, a small grin on his lips. I took a moment to breathe before pulling him back to me, enjoying the familiar feeling of his lips on mine. They locked easily, and it left me breathless every time he pressed just a bit harder only to let go almost entirely. My body was on fire, and he knew it. It was something any of them could do, and it drove me crazy to no end.

It was when I felt Marko move up just a bit and kiss my neck that I let out a soft moan. Marko seemed to move his lips in time with David's, and I was practically panting. I let out a small whimper as Marko sucked a hickey into my neck while David dragged his tongue against my lip. I slowly parted my lips, and he took control, his tongue slipping against mine in a way that oddly felt nice. I grabbed at him with one of my hands while the second carded through Marko's hair, pulling it softly.

We went like that for a few minutes before we pulled away, and I sat with a dazed look in my eyes and red lips, a new row of hickeys lining my neck. I sat panting for a moment, trying to remember how to breathe properly as Marko sucked a final hickey into my neck, running over it with his tongue before letting me go. I shook my head, trying to clear my vision, and looked over to David who was sat back at his wheelchair throne, watching me with a smirk on his face.

"That was nice. We should do that more often," I mumbled, watching as his smirk grew to a grin. I then turned to Paul and motioned him over. He walked over easily after pushing Rain over a bit. He raised an eyebrow as he squatted down to my level. I giggled a bit and took the joint he had from his lips, raising it to mine. He laughed a bit and shook his head before sitting on the ground in front of the couch, his back to me. We passed the blunt back and forth, and I smiled at the familiar hazy feeling took over my body, my inhibitions flying out the window.

I blew out a large puff of smoke, watching as it disappeared into the air, before handing it back to Paul who did the same. "Y'know. I think I really love you guys," I stated, clenching my jaw a hard feeling overtook me and tears gathered in my eyes. "I think you're some of the only people I can really trust, and I just want you guys to know that I love you." I felt Marko gingerly wipe away the tears that fell down my cheeks.

"We love you, too, Angel," Marko stated, lifting himself so he was straddling me instead of laying on me.

"Yeah," Dwayne stated, a smile evident in his voice, "you mean a lot to us too, Princess. We love you more than you think."

I nodded and looked up at Marko who was staring down at me. "Thank you for pulling me from my dumb shop that night," I stated, watching as his face fell into a smile.

"Anything for you, Angel."

"Now, somebody, please kiss me before I lose my mind." Marko easily bent down and kissed me while Paul turned and took my neck. The two worked even better than Marko and David had, and I was breathless as I pulled away, giggling loudly as I took Paul's blunt from him again.

"I'm going to go to sleep now," I stated easily, laying back completely against the couch. "I'm very, very tired."

"Come on, sweetheart," David said as he picked me up into his arms and Marko stood from above me. "Let's take you to bed. You shouldn't sleep on that couch."

I nodded a bit, and I felt my breathing even out as I fell into a haze of sleepiness and weed. I was vaguely aware of someone pulling off my clothes so I could sleep better and the boys taking their positions in bed so I felt comfortable. It was an easy thing to do, everybody working in sync. It was nice, and I was soon asleep between four beautiful men who I trusted completely.

A/N: Small thing real quick. Someone asked me if Paul and Marko were together in the last chapter, and you're going to see them do more next chapter, but I'm a big Paul/Marko shipper lmao so I did add a bit of that in here. I'm also in love with the headcanon of the boys' sexuality where Paul is pan, Marko is bisexual, Dwayne and David are bi, but they lean more toward girls than boys. I mean, if you're gonna live forever, I figure you would care less about who you fucked, y'know.


	9. Chapter 9

**ix.**

I woke up to someone carding their fingers through my hair while someone else was running their hands up and down my sides. I let out a soft groan and tried to roll over only to discover that I was pressed between two bodies. I opened my eyes slowly and stared up at the familiar face of Marko. A silly grin rested on his face as he looked at me, and I grumbled lightly and turned my head a bit to see long blonde, teased hair resting on my shoulder. Paul. I turned back to Marko, resting in his embrace.

"Where are the others," I mumbled, my voice hoarse from just waking up.

Paul answered, his movements on my sides stopping as he rested his hand right on the dip of my side. "They went to go get Star. You slept in longer than usual, and they didn't want to wake you up."

I nodded and rubbed my eyes. "How much longer do we have?"

"I'd say about thirty minutes," Marko replied.

I nodded and readjusted myself a bit. Paul groaned a bit as I rubbed against his crotch. I laughed in response and looked at Marko. "Wanna make out or somethin'?"

Marko grinned at the question and lunged forward, his lips capturing mine easily. Paul eased me away from Marko after a few moments, picking me up and pulling me into his lap. Marko followed, his lips touching mine again when I was settled in Paul's lap. Paul's hands ran down my sides again before cupping my breasts as he ran his lips across my shoulder, kissing random spots. I moaned lowly as I felt fangs drag across my skin. "Paul," I mumbled, pulling away from Marko for a second. "You know you can't do that." Paul whined a bit but nodded, continuing his assault on my neck.

Marko's hands reached for my shirt, dragging up and off of me. David had put one of his shirts on me last night, the shirt slightly loose and longer than what I was used to. It served well as a nightshirt, though. Marko seemed to prefer it off, though, as he threw it across the room.

I groaned as Paul moved away. Marko did as well, and I moaned a bit as the two connected their lips with me pressed between them. It was a heavy kiss, and I watched as Marko bit at Paul's lip before pulling away and turning back to me. I moved to kiss Paul from over my shoulder only to be disrupted by a low whine. I turned to see Rain sitting at the entrance of the room. I pulled away from my boys and bent down to pet Rain, rolling my eyes when one of them smacked my ass. "Hey, bud, what's wrong?"

Rain whined and pointed his head to the cave. "David's back," Paul stated, pulling himself out of bed. I watched as he shrugged on his mesh shirt and leather jacket while Marko did the same. I moved over to the small closet set-up I had going on and slid on a high-waisted, knee-length pleated skirt and loose black shirt I had stolen from Dwayne and cut into a crop top. He complained a bit, but I simply rolled my eyes, stating that he never wore his shirts anyway and that I looked better than him in it. Dwayne simply took a few kisses as payment.

"You guys think I'm going to like her," I questioned as we walked down the hall, Rain right on my heels.

Paul shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. She doesn't seem terrible."

I nodded, and we entered the main cave easily. I looked around and finally saw her. She was gorgeous, I couldn't deny that. She would have been my type if I hadn't been with the boys. She had long, brown, curly hair that was pushed high. She wore a white tank top and a long purple gypsy skirt that I admired. She was beautiful along with her style.

What surprised me was the small boy standing beside her, clutching her skirt just a bit. He had brown hair a similar color to Star's. He couldn't have been older than ten. He was dressed in a simple band shirt and blue jeans with tennis shoes on his feet while Star's were bare. He looked at me curiously as I did the same with him.

"Evangeline," David called out, walking toward me. Marko and Paul moved away, Marko moving to sit with Dwayne while Paul moved to the music collection. I made a mental note to buy him a radio or boombox at some point. "I'd like you to meet some people. This is Star and Laddie. Guys, this is Evangeline."

I waved a bit, sending them a small smile. Star looked at David and then me before she nodded, giving me a polite smile. "It's nice to meet you, Evangeline."

"You too, Star."

I turned and gave David a kiss on the cheek before walking over to where Paul was dancing by the water fountain in the middle of the room. "Mind if I join you," I questioned. He shook his head and grabbed my hands, pulling me close so we could dance to the music. We jumped and span and laughed to our hearts' content, only pausing when I needed to take a moment to breathe.

The boys were laid out, doing their own things, while Star was looking around at everything, trying not to intrude but still being curious. Laddie looked like he didn't know what to do, so I motioned him to come toward us. He walked forward carefully, but he had a small pep in his step that showed he was happy. "Wanna dance with us, little dude," I questioned when he was beside me. He nodded quickly, and I laughed and picked him up, bouncing him with the music. He laughed and jumped around when I placed him back on the ground, hopping to his own childish dance that made me laugh with him. Paul sent out a quick word of praise and copied him, and soon, the three of us were jumping to our own beat, giggling and laughing the whole time.

I squealed when Paul picked me up, pulling me to a couch to sit. Laddie followed and crawled up and into my lap when I sat down. I watched as Marko entered the cave with three boxes of pizza, and I frowned a bit when I realized I didn't even notice when he left. He passed around the boxes to each of us, and Star made her way over and sat next to Dwayne while Marko settled on the floor in front of me. I passed a piece of pepperoni pizza to Laddie who grinned widely and began eating instantly. I took a piece of my own and ate happily, looking around at everyone.

"So, Evangeline, do you live with them here or?"

I nodded to her question, a small smile on my face. "Yeah, I live in one of the back rooms. Why?"

She shrugged and took another bite of her pizza. "You all siblings or something?"

"They're siblings. I'm just their girl," I stated, a bit scared at how she would react to that.

She simply nodded, processing the information. Paul pressed a kiss to my head, letting out a loud 'yeah, you are!' I rolled my eyes and hit his chest lightly, holding still as Laddie adjusted himself in my lap.

"Is Laddie your little brother," I questioned.

She shrugged her shoulders again, and I raised an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah, kind of. He's my half-brother. Mom cheated and had him."

Paul spoke next, a dumb grin on his face as he talked with his mouth full, something I tried to get him to stop doing. "So, what brings you to Santa Carla?"

"Dad found out about what happened, and they got a divorce. I'm with my mom, and we're living in one of the hotels near the boardwalk." I listened quietly, nodding a bit and grabbing another slice of pizza for Laddie.

"You like your mom," David asked, and I silently questioned if we were prying too much for haven just met her.

Star leaned back on the couch. "Not really. I mean, she doesn't really care about us all too much. She's not the best mother, if I say so. She doesn't seem to have that maternal instinct, and I'm not sure why she had us if she wasn't even going to take care of us, y'know."

"Well, you can come by here anytime, though we aren't normally up before dark." The boys chuckled at that, and Star looked at me questioningly. I shrugged and rolled my eyes as Paul pulled me closer to him.

I glanced back over at Star. "What time do you guys need to be home?"

She shrugged and looked at her watch. "In like an hour," she replied, a small smile on her lips.

I nodded and slowly eased Laddie off of my lap, watching as he ran over to where all the music was. I stood, maneuvering around Marko who slapped my ass on the way. I sighed and walked over to Star, holding my hand out for her to take. "Come with me," I said simply.

She nodded and stood. I ignored the boys' curious looks and pulled her with me toward the stairs. We ascended them slowly as I was still absolutely terrified of them, though Star didn't seem as afraid. I led her to the top of the bluff and sat down, patting the ground for her to sit with me. I watched the waves beneath us and sighed quietly.

"What's on your mind," I questioned, smiling at the shocked look on her face. "You look like something's bothering you."

She sighed a somber sigh and picked at the nail polish on her nails. "I don't know. I guess things are just moving really fast."

"Tell me about it," I replied, trying to get her to open up. "I know we don't know each other that well, but I have a feeling we're going to be friends." _We better be if she's going to be a vampire._ I grabbed her hand encouragingly, holding it tightly. "I won't tell the boys if that's what you're worried about."

Star nodded and squeezed my hand. "I guess it's just everything right now. The divorce was stressful enough. It seemed that my parents were always screaming at each other, and my mother never gave me the time of day. I basically had to raise Laddie all by myself for three or four years, and when we moved out, I thought it would finally get better, but we're completely broke. Laddie is at that age where he's trying to impress mom all the time, but she doesn't even say thank you for his gifts or congratulates him on his work. It's always me. I don't want to have to do that. I want to be his sister, not his mother."

I nodded, rubbing my thumb over her hand encouragingly. She seemed to enjoy my efforts to make her feel a bit better.

"Then," she continued, "she found this guy named Max on her first day here, and she decides to join him on a date even though she _just_ got out of a marriage. I understand that it's been a long time coming, but it hurts just the same. He's not my dad, so it's always going to hurt just a bit. My mom told me to find friends, so I followed David here, which is such a risky mood, and it's crazy that I even followed them, but I was bored out of my mind, and Laddie took a liking to Dwayne, so I followed. I mean, at least I have you. We can be friends, but it's just crazy that my life has flipped this much in such a small amount of time." I nodded, knowing how she felt about big changes and such.

"I'm sorry you have to go through that."

She shrugged again. She seemed to do that a lot. "There's nothing you could do about it. You didn't know me. You couldn't have stopped it."

I nodded. "But you still shouldn't have to go through that. It's terrible. No kid should have to go through that. I really hope you enjoy our little group here. I know they're a bit crazy, and they tend to do some stupid stuff, but I think you'll find a little place to fit in."

Star laughed a bit. "What's it like dating four guys?"

I groaned jokingly and fell back to the ground. "It's absolutely terrible," I groaned jokingly, laughing at the end. "No, they mean a lot to me, and I know it's not _normal_ , but they make me feel happy and loved, and I know they would protect me at all costs, so it's nice." Star chuckled a bit and looked out at the ocean. "What about you? You have a boyfriend before you moved here?"

Star shook her head, pursing her lips a bit. "No. I've never had one. I came from a really small town where everyone knew everyone, so I basically grew up with all of them, and I couldn't imagine dating any of them. They were all complete idiots." I laughed with her at that one.

"Well," I stated, looking over at her, "I think you'll find someone here in Santa Carla." I had determination in my voice. "It might not be right now, but you're going to find a great guy," I paused, "or girl? I don't know what you're into. Just as long as it's not one of my boys."

Star giggled and shook her head. "No, ma'am. I think I'll refrain from that, and I'm definitely straight."

We laughed together, both a giggling mess. We sat there for a little bit, just sitting and talking. I told them about my boys and dumb things they had done of the time I had met them. I told her about my small shop and my love of art. She told me about Laddie and stories of her old school. We just got to know each other, and it felt great to finally have another friend besides the boys.

Our moment was interrupted by Dwayne and David walking up the stairs, Laddie in Dwayne's arms. "Hey, I think it's time to take you guys home," David stated easily. Star slid up from her space and nodded, helping me to my feet. I smiled at her and hugged her tightly, telling her to come anytime, and she promised she would drop by soon some night, though I could probably find her sitting around the boardwalk. I nodded and watched as she slid onto David's bike after him. I kissed David and Dwayne quickly and waved them goodbye before making my way down the stairs slowly. I cursed under my breath the entire time down until I was in the cave. Paul laughed as he looked up and saw me, standing up and pulling me into his arms.

"Hey, Paul," I mumbled, hugging him back before letting go. I grabbed his arm and then Marko's as we passed him and pulled them toward the bed. They climbed on easily, and I pulled my skirt off, chuckling as Paul winked at me. I then crawled into bed between them and sighed, relaxing into their hold. "Don't tell the other two, but I think I have a soft spot for you two."

Paul chuckled and pressed a kiss against my temple. "Of course, babe."

"I like lazy days," I mumbled against his shoulder.

I heard Marko laugh quietly behind me. "Y'know what I like," he questioned, pressing his lips behind my ear. I hummed in questioning. "Continuing where we left off earlier."

I giggled quietly and nodded. We pulled ourselves up so I was sitting in Marko's lap this time while Paul kissed me. My shirt had been discarded in the process, and Marko's hands were all over me while Paul's cupped my face, one of his thumbs running over my cheeks soothingly. I hummed into the kiss, rocking my hips against Marko's. Marko, in response, moaned softly in my ear, a moan that had me feeling some kind of way.

I grabbed at Paul's jacket, pushing it off his shoulders easily. His shirt was next to go, and then I turned so I could do the same to Marko. He threw his shirt and jacket somewhere across the room and lunged at me, kissing me roughly. I moaned against his lips, letting him push me onto the bed while Paul moved lower down my body. I rolled my hips a bit as I felt his breath fall over my clothed heat.

"C'mon, baby," I groaned out in between kisses. Paul chuckled, pressing his lips against my inner thigh before dragging his tongue closer to where I wanted him to be. I let out a high-pitch moan against Marko's lips as he moved so he could grab at my breasts. He pushed the straps of my bra down so he could push the rest to my stomach, too lazy to unhook it, and kneaded the soft flesh he uncovered. I panted heavily, pulling away from his lips as Paul dragged my underwear down my legs, dragging out a soft 'fuck' from his lips.

I nipped at Marko's neck as he leaned over me. He groaned a bit as I sucked a hickey onto his neck. My back arched as Paul finally leaped forward, dragging his tongue up my folds. I squirmed against him and wrapped my legs around his back as his hands held my hips down. I moaned embarrassingly loud before Marko captured my lips against, his fingers messing with my nipples. My hands reached up and grabbed his hair softly, tugging at it as Paul developed a rhythm with his tongue, his nose bumping against my clit every time. I was a whining mess against them, and I could feel my release building up slowly.

Marko pulled away from our kiss and looked me in the eyes as I panted beneath him. "Come on, Angel," he mumbled as he raised his hand to my cheek, rubbing his thumb against it lightly. "Cum for us."

I let out a cry, my back arching off the bed as Paul plunged his tongue into me, and I came hard. I blinked rapidly, trying to keep my eyes open and on Marko. My body slumped against the bed as I felt my release come to an end. Marko kissed me on the lips again before reaching over and kissing Paul as Paul mumbled a 'dude, you need to taste her.' They locked lips easily, tongues sliding to meet each other. Paul groaned against Marko before pulling away, falling onto the bed beside me.

I groaned and turned on my side. "I feel all gross now," I mumbled, unhooking my bra and throwing it somewhere else. Paul chuckled, and I turned at the sound of two people descending the stairs.

"What'd we miss now," David called out, looking over at the three of us in bed. I chuckled and motioned for him to come over to us. He obliged, his eyes skimming over my naked form.

I climbed out from the two boys who immediately moved closer together, wrapping in each other's arms. I wrapped my arms around David and kissed him softly. His gloved hands grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to him, and I pulled away from the kiss slowly, biting his lip as I did so. He growled teasingly. "Paul has a really good tongue," I stated simply.

David raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really now? I bet I could do better." His voice was cocky, and it made me laugh, but I could already feel my body heating up again.

"Wanna test that theory," I questioned. David pushed forward, locking our lips again as he shrugged off his jacket and shirt. I ran my hands down his arms. I pulled away for a second and sighed, His hands trailed down lower, and I locked eyes with Dwayne who was sitting on the bed, ignoring Paul and Marko who were making out, hands moving in all directions. David slowly rubbed his middle finger against my clit, and I let out a soft moan, closing my eyes and leaning my head on David's shoulder.

I wasn't there for long because, in a few seconds, I was lifted quickly, and my legs were on either of his shoulders, my thighs on either side of his head. I squeaked loudly at the feeling as David grabbed my ass and backed me to one of the walls of the cave. His tongue dragged against my folds slowly, teasingly, and barely there. I let out a small cry, letting my head fall back to the wall. My breathing was already uneven, small bursts of air leaving my lungs as I tried to concentrate on Dwayne who was watching me with a predatory look in his eyes as David worked his magic.

While Paul was great at getting me there fast, his tongue working my body in unimaginable ways, David was slow, pushing me to my release quickly but holding me there so I wouldn't cum until he let me. His tongue seemed to know the ins and outs of what to do easily, and I ended up gripping his hair so I felt like I wouldn't fall. He would chuckle softly when my grip tightened when he did something particularly nice, and the vibrations would send shocks through my body that had me gasping.

I cried out as I felt my release come nearer, and David knew I didn't have much more time because his movements became rougher, pulling me closer and closer to the edge until I had jumped. I let out a soft yell, my body shaking from my position as my head tilted back and my eyes closed, my back arching. I panted softly as I came down and David pulled me from his shoulders to the ground where I stood on shaky legs. I fell into him, and his arms wrapped around me softly. "Okay, okay, you're good too. You're so good."

David chuckled, and next, I felt Dwayne pick me up into his arms bridal style. I sighed a bit, thankful to be off my legs. "Let's go clean you off, princess," he said easily, taking me from the boys. I nodded against him and lazed as he pulled me into the bathroom. He turned on the shower, making sure the temperature was right for me, and pushed me in. I leaned against the wall as he stripped down to nothing. My eyes were immediately drawn to his, well, package, but I quickly looked away, a blush running over my cheeks. "Cute," Dwayne said simply as he stepped in as well.

He washed me slowly, kneading shampoo and conditioner into my hair easily while I leaned against him, my legs still a bit shaky. I was flipped so my back was to him as he opened the body wash. I hummed a song into his ear as he did so, and I moaned softly as he began rubbing soap over me.

"Don't do that, princess," he warned as I moaned quietly.

"Or what, warrior," I questioned, watching as lust clouded his eyes.

He glared teasingly at me. "You're already tired. I don't think you need a third round," he stated as his hands rubbed underneath my breasts.

"What if I want one," I questioned defiantly, leaning my head back so I could place my lips against his cheek.

"Princess," he growled lowly, his grip growing a bit tighter.

"Dwayne," I sang back, moaning in his ear as his hands went lower and lower, the water washing any soap off of them. His fingers moved to my heat, slipping between my folds and pressing at my entrance teasingly. His other hand moved to roll my clit between his fingers. I groaned lowly, letting him work his magic. He slid in only one at first, moving it slowly as if testing the waters. Then, there were two pumping in and out at a decent speed. His hand that was at my clit moved to hold my waist and pull me against him as I thought I might fall. His thumb replaced that hand, rubbing it the right way.

I moaned loudly, letting him know that my release was coming soon as his fingers rubbed deep inside me, and thanked God for giving him such large hands and long fingers. I cried out quietly as he bent down, sucking a hickey into my neck among the others I had scattered around from different boys. I rolled my hips down to his fingers, and he chuckled lowly, speeding up his movements just enough to have me cumming hard, my head falling back against him, and my hips rocking in time with his.

I let out a low sigh at the feeling and pressed lazy kisses against his skin as he pulled out, bringing his fingers to his mouth. I sighed lowly, tired from the activities. I felt like I was going to pass out at any second, my vision hazy and legs shaky.

Dwayne continued cleaning me as if nothing had happened, and when he was done, he wrapped me in a large towel and pulled one around his waist. He carried me out and into our bedroom where the other boys were already laid out. David raised an eyebrow and smiled a bit when I was set down on the bed. Dwayne moved and grabbed some underwear for me, a black lacy pair. I carefully slid them on, taking a moment to glare at my bra's clasp when it wouldn't work with me. I debated on sleeping without it on, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep well without it. They always hurt after a while when I didn't wear my bra from how big they were. I grumbled lightly and watched as Dwayne slid a pair of boxers up his legs. I fell back, and one of the boys grabbed my arms and pulled me up toward them. I immediately wrapped my arms around David, pulling him tight against me. He laughed in response, and I grunted lowly. The boys took their normal spots around me, and I smiled just a bit.

I went to sleep easily that night, tired from the events before and happy to be surrounded by my boys.


	10. Chapter 10

**x.**

I awoke with a start, and suddenly, the hands that normally felt safe were simply binding me. I was trapped, and I didn't know how to escape. My breathing was coming back in heavy pants, as I tried to push myself out of their grips. Images from my dream replayed in my head like a movie I didn't want to see.

 _"Come on, Evangeline? You thought we loved you? You? What makes you special, huh? You're just a weak, little human girl. You won't even drink from the bottle, will you? Too goddamn weak. You're pathetic." The boys circled around me as Dwayne's voice rang out, his heavenly voice turned sour and taunting._

Dwayne stirred a bit, his eyes opening ever so slowly. They looked at me through hazy, sleep-driven eyes that didn't seem to understand my thrashing completely. "Princess, what are you doing?" I could barely make out the sounds like he was behind a wall of glass.

 _"Can't believe you actually fell for it. What do you have to offer? We could get someone like you off the street in a second," David spoke, his voice menacing, more terrifying than Dwayne's._

I let out another cry, trying to pull myself from him, but he simply pulled me back, trying to soothe me. I couldn't hear the words. I couldn't hear anything, my mind focused on the images in my head.

 _"Why do you think we brought Star? She could easily replace you, and it's not like anyone would notice you missing. You're a nobody. You said it yourself," Paul's voice taunted. He shook his head like he couldn't believe something I had said._

"Babe," a soft, groggy voice questioned, and I barely made out the feeling of Marko sitting up, his body still above mine as Paul rolled over, waking up slowly. "Babe?" His voice was concerned. I could hear it quivering lightly as I screamed for them to let me go.

 _"We didn't love you, Evangeline. Never have, never will. You're just a quick fuck," Marko's voice flicked out the final word teasingly, and I let tears fall down my face at the boys surrounding me. I broke down, unable to control my emotions. Everything was true. Every single thing._

 _"Oh, now the whore's crying," Paul questioned, leaning forward a bit, a wicked grin on his face._

I cried a pathetic cry, my chest heaving as David moved, holding down my arms at Dwayne's command. "She's going to hurt herself if she keep this up," Dwayne had stated, worry clear in his voice. I had barely registered my arms scratching at my skin before they pulled them away. I was a whore. I needed to get them off of me. I needed to get the touches off. It was too much.

 _"Pathetic," Dwayne stated simply._

I felt someone running their hand through my hair, trying to calm me as everyone held down one of my limbs. My breathing was labored, puffs of oxygen barely entering and leaving my body. Tears were running down my face like a river. "Let me go," I yelled, trying to pull away.

"We can't do that, doll." That was David's voice. "Come on, it's going to be okay. Calm down, breathe," he instructed, his voice oddly calming. I shouldn't listen to him. I shouldn't listen to any of them. They don't love me. They don't. They don't. They don't.

I tried following breathing techniques I used to have to use in high school when I had panic attacks. Breathe in for four seconds, hold for seven, out for eight. Repeat. I closed my eyes, trying to force myself to calm down, trying to block out the dream with the sound of their voices surrounding me, seemingly soft whispers of encouragement bleeding through my body.

I felt myself begin to calm down, my tears turning from waterfalls to soft rivers, barely there. Their grips loosened slowly, and soon, I was let go. I immediately back up toward the headboard, watching as their eyes filled with hurt and confusion.

"We're not going to hurt you," Dwayne stated softly, his eyes calm. This wasn't a dream. This was the real him. At least, I hoped it was.

I furrowed my brows and wiped my face harshly, trying to stop the useless tears. "Do you guys really love me," I questioned.

I watched as their gazes softened to sadness, and each of them nodded their heads quickly, trying to reassure me. "Why would you doubt that, Angel. Did we do something wrong," Marko asked, his eyes searching mine for something I didn't understand.

I ignored the question and continued talking. "Do you hate me for not drinking from the bottle yet," I questioned.

They quickly shook their heads no, and I watched as David slowly moved toward me, making sure I didn't mind him coming closer. I felt his arms wrap around me, and I was pulled into his lap, my back to his stomach. "We don't hate you, sweetheart. I don't think we could, mate bond or not. You're our entire world, and we don't plan on giving you up. We love you, and you don't have to drink until you're ready. We shouldn't have to force you into a life you don't think is worth living for our own gain."

I nodded slowly, and Paul came forward, pressing his forehead to mine. "We love you more than you think. Don't doubt that." I nodded again, and he kissed my cheek softly before pulling away.

We sat in silence for a few seconds, and the rhythmic feeling of David's hand on my thigh rubbing back and forth. "I'm sorry for waking you guys up," I mumbled, leaning against David a bit more. He held me tighter.

"It's fine," Dwayne responded, still rubbing his eyes a bit. "Can you tell us what your dream was about or do you still need a moment?" He itched his hair nervously.

I paused and took a deep breath. "I- I don't know. I mean, I do know. I just – I thought it was _real_." I looked up to see the boys staring at me intently. "I was in the middle of the cave, and you guys were circling. You never stopped, and you were saying such terrible things. Dwayne said you guys never loved me and called me weak for not taking the blood yet." Dwayne tensed unconsciously, his hand reaching forward to take one of my hands. "And then, David said he couldn't believe I fell for it. Said you could replace me in a second." David's arms tightened, but he quickly let go as if he was afraid he would hurt me. "Paul said that's why you brought Star. I was a nobody, and nobody would notice me disappear, so you guys could get rid of me and take Star instead." Paul's hand intertwined with Marko's, his eyes holding mine as I spoke, and I watched a little part of him break. "And then Marko, Marko just broke me. He said I was a whore. Repeated that you guys didn't love me. So, I started crying, and Paul taunted me, calling me a whore again, and Dwayne called me pathetic, and then I woke up completely, I guess.

The boys were tense, and my eyes sat in the middle of the bed, refusing to meet any of theirs. I heard them moving, and I felt each of them grab some part of me. David sat behind me still, his legs on either side of me with his hands on my waist. Dwayne took my hand again, intertwining our fingers. Marko grabbed my other hand, and Paul managed to fit his way in front of me, his hands on my thighs.

David was the one to speak while everyone watched, trying to calm me down in their own ways. "I don't know how to fully earn your trust, and though I'm sad you don't fully trust us yet, I understand. Well, to an extent, I do. I mean, it's not like we should have expected it from you on such short notice, and I know that something up here isn't exactly right." David tapped my head, and I smiled a bit at the action. "But we're going to stick with you. We're not going to give you up, baby. We're here for you no matter what." David paused and let out a deep breath. "And Star is nothing compared to you. You're a goddess, and she's just a stupid girl. We _have_ to take her in because of Max, but you, you are here because we love you. We love you so much, I don't think you understand. We would lay down our lives without even thinking about because we love you."

The boys around me nodded, assuring me, and I felt Dwayne turn my head softly. "None of us trusted the others like it was nothing. We were all screwed over in the past. Hell, after Paul changed, he refused to talk to us for a full year, but we helped him when he needed it, and we made sure he was safe. We gave him his time, and we can do that if you need. We can let you go for a bit, let you really think if you need it, but we just want you to know that we're right here if you need us." Dwayne swallowed hard, and his voice wobbled when he talked about me leaving.

I sighed a bit and looked down. I bit my lip and sighed lowly before leaning my head back and placing it on David's shoulder. I took a deep breath. "I don't want to leave you boys," I stated simply. "If it's for selfish reasons or survival reasons, I'm not sure, but I need you guys as much as you need me, and at this point in time, I couldn't imagine my life without you boys in it." I felt David exhale quietly, and the rest of the boys squeezed me from where they were holding me. "I know I love you guys. It's something inevitable. I just- I'm scared we're taking things too fast. I mean, it's been going fast since the moment I met you guys, and I know that I met you guys two months ago, but that has to be nothing compared to how long you've been alive. It's just crazy to me. I guess my head isn't right on my shoulders right now. I don't think I'm completely over Marigold either, and I don't know when I will be if I'm being honest. I don't know anything, but I do know that I love you guys, and I don't want to give you up. I'm sorry I've been all over the place, but I've grown such an attachment to you guys, it's crazy."

"You're alright, girl," Paul said simply, and I turned to see a broad smile on his face. "We love you." The boys all nodded and mumbled the sentence under their breaths.

"Now, can we _please_ go back to sleep," I questioned. "It can't be nighttime yet!"

"No, it feels like noon," David mumbled in my ear. I sighed and nodded, falling from his grip and rolling over to the middle of the bed.

"Then, let's sleep. Star will probably be here tonight, so let's rest. Plus, I really need you guys right now."

The boys all fell around me, and I felt each of them press a kiss to my lips before moving to their spots. I made note of the fact that Paul and Marko were holding each other as they laid between my legs, their backs to my legs. I smiled a bit at that, and I felt Dwayne rolling my hair between his fingers. Yes, this was where I belonged even if my subconscious didn't believe it.


	11. Chapter 11

**xi.**

I swung my hips in time with the music as Paul placed his hands on them, pulling my back to his front. I hummed along to the music and pushed my arms behind me, wrapping them around his neck as I continued to dance. "I wanna know what love is," I sang along, smiling as Paul kissed my cheek. "I want you to show me."

Paul spun me around so I was facing him and gathered me in his arms again. "I wanna feel what love is," he sang back. "I know you can show me." I giggled as he pulled a silly face and spun again. My skirt spun with it, and I loved the feeling of it flowing around. Thigh-high socks rested on my legs, but I had no shoes, so I was easily able to move with Paul. He dipped me after he spun me, and I giggled as he pressed his lips against mine.

I pulled away, though, when I heard Star's voice ring through the cave. "Evangeline? David? Dwayne?" I turned to see her walking down the steps, a happy Laddie following her steps.

I stepped away from Paul and bounced over to her, offering a hug as she made her final steps in. Star stepped into her arms, and she let out a quiet sob. I frowned, holding her as she cried softly into my arms. "Hey, what happened," I questioned, watching as Laddie ran over to Dwayne who picked him up easily. I shushed her crying easily, rubbing her back slowly as she calmed down. "What happened?"

"My fucking mom," she cried out softly, holding me a bit tighter. "She's such a fucking bitch." I frowned as she cursed, afraid Laddie might hear it.

"Tell me about it."

Star sniffled a bit and pulled back, but I still held her hands, trying to make her feel a bit comforted. "I was making Laddie dinner, and she stumbles in drunk off her ass. She asks what I'm doing, and I tell her, and she gets mad, says I'm wasting food, called me ungrateful when I told her Laddie needed to eat, and then smacked me. I'm scared. She's never hurt me before." I took a closer look at her face, noticing that half her face was redder than the other.

I pulled her into me again, holding her as she cried again. "Hey, we're going to take care of you, okay? Just stay here. Be one of us, Star. You wouldn't have to worry about her again." In the corner of my eye, David sat up a bit. Star sniffled and nodded, and Marko quickly stood up and went to retrieve the bottle of blood. "You want to stay with us, Star?"

Star nodded again. "Yes." She pulled away slowly, and I took the bottle from Marko who kissed me on the temple as he handed it to me. I smiled and handed it to her. Marko had already removed the top.

"There will be a price to pay like there is for anything good, but if you want to stay with us, drink this."

Star seemed to mull over my words for a few minutes before she tentatively lifted it to her lips and tilted it back, taking two large gulps. I grinned as she pulled away, and the boys clapped.

Paul wrapped his arm around the two of us before turning to Star. "Welcome to the group, girl!"

Star let out a small breath and nodded, a small smile growing on her face. Her eyes looked dreamy as the side effects of the liquid seeped in. I had watched a few of them drink from the bottle, and it looked like a drunken high every time. It was pretty funny.

I moved and sat on David's lap as Star collapsed on a coach. Laddie looked at her with worried eyes, but Dwayne pulled his attention away by pulling him to the art supplies. I turned my attention to David who was looking at me with a small smile. I snagged the joint from his lips and took a drag. "You okay, sweetheart," he questioned as I handed the funny cig back to him. I blew the smoke in his face, and he laughed at the action.

"I'm perfect, David," I replied.

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? After last night, I just want to make sure you're okay."

I laid my head on his shoulder. "I'm okay right now. I promise."

David nodded, and I turned a bit as Star moved her arms with the music, a grin on her face as Paul told her jokes, trying to get her to look happier. He was the most human, the newest turned, and he wanted to make sure she knew that it would be fun with them.

I bit my lip as I thought, staring at the bottle across the room. What if I drank tonight and turned with Star? What if I finally became one of them, joined them completely. Well, almost completely. I blushed at the thought of when we would have our first time together. Make love and drink from the bottle - the last two steps, and I would give myself to them completely. I smiled at the thought. I don't think I could imagine anything better than being with them for the rest of my life, no matter how long it was.

"Hey, David," I questioned, placing my hand on the back of my neck. David turned to me from where he was staring at Marko who was playing with his pigeons. "What if I drank tonight, too," I questioned.

David's eyes widened a bit, and a grin took over his face only to be replaced by a worried look. "Are you sure you're ready for that?"

I nodded slowly, and I felt the other boys' gazes on me. I pursed my lips. "I think I want to be with you guys forever if you'll let me stay."

"Of course, we'll have you. There's nothing we would love more than that."

"Then, I want to drink," I stated firmly, and David motioned for Marko to grab the bottle. Marko grinned and grabbed it, bounding over to David in a few easy steps. He then grabbed my face and kissed me before stepping back and standing with Paul who threw his arm over his shoulder. Paul's eyes followed me, but he still talked to Star who looked half-asleep at that point.

David held the bottle, staring at it with an indescribable look. "Baby, when you drink this, there's no going back."

"I don't think I want to go back, David," I muttered, clasping the bottle in my hands.

"Then, drink."

And I did. I tipped the bottle back easily, letting the taste flow easily into my mouth. I hummed at the taste and pulled away after two or three gulps. It tasted like Heaven. Different flavors mixed easily, but I could easily make out the taste of vanilla as the thick liquid ran down my throat. It almost felt like if a milkshake could be warm without melting.

I pulled the bottle away and licked my lips as I opened my eyes again. My vision was blurry, and I was tired like I had been partying all night. It almost felt like one of the nights where Paul, Marko, and I sat around smoking pot until we couldn't see right and giggled at nothing at all. It was euphoric like when the boys made me feel good the night before. It was a little piece of heaven in a bottle.

I recognized the boys cheering loudly, and David bent down to kiss me easily. I was then pulled from him and into Dwayne and then Paul and then Marko, and an easy smile slid across my face as I watched them. They were obviously ecstatic, and I was soon lifted into Marko's arms who jumped around with me. I was a giggling mess the entire time.

Dwayne took me from Marko and set me down on a couch, knowing how tired I was. I could see the sun beginning to rise as a small amount of light filtered through the cave. "Let's get you to bed, Princess."

I nodded slowly, and I was passed to Paul easily. Paul chuckled and poked my side before holding me properly, my head on his shoulder as I clung to him, my legs around his waist and arms around his neck. I watched as Dwayne picked up Laddie and Marko picked up Star. They placed them in the bed I had slept in before and then followed us to the bedroom, stripping once they reached inside.

I was placed on a bed, and I lazily threw off my outfit. I left my socks and underwear on and climbed into the middle, and the boys took their normal positions. I reached my hand down and ran my hand through Marko's hair, smiling as a soft purring sensation was felt on my leg where he was laying. "I love you guys," I stated easily.

"Love you too," they each mumbled, falling into a dreamless sleep as the sun rose, draining them of any energy.


	12. Chapter 12

**xii.**

The next night, I found myself on the boardwalk, staring at all the people with a new sort of fascination. I knew of their enhanced senses, but this was nothing like I could've imagined, and I knew it would get better when I was a full vampire. Yet, even staring around with this vision was something new entirely. I could see things in brighter colors and crisp image. It was beautiful. People were beautiful.

I was faintly aware of my new sense of hearing. I could pick out each person's heartbeat within a certain distance, and all I could smell was vanilla like the blood I drank from the bottle but so much better. I wanted it, but I knew I couldn't have it. Not yet, at least.

Dwayne's arm around my waist was a small reminder that they would stop me if I couldn't control myself, but I knew I was fine. I could control myself. My eyes fell on my shop, and I was reminded that I had completely forgotten about it for the past week. I could make out that some of the flowers were wilting, and I frowned at that.

I couldn't dwell long on the fact as I was almost knocked over by a soft body slamming into mine. I stiffened at the overpowering scent of vanilla and a heartbeat right beside me. I held my breath and pulled away quickly to meet the gaze of a grinning Marigold.

"I haven't seen you in forever," she screeched, and I winced at the loud sound. I finally understood why David and Dwayne were always annoyed when Marko and Paul yelled. "You haven't been in your shop or at your house, so I didn't know what had happened. Thought you might have died." I heard Paul snort at that from where he was with Marko. David was watching Star and Laddie as they navigated through the crowd toward us. "Glad to see you're okay, though. I wanted to tell you about this place I found down at the beach. It's like nobody's been there in like forever, y'know. It's really secluded. It's down there." She pointed to the opposite direction of the cave, and I let out a small nod of relief. "I wanted to show you, but I know you'd rather be with your boys." I nodded at that again and sent her a tight-lipped smile, hoping she would move soon. She didn't seem to get the memo, though, and I focused on Star's worried look as she finally made her way to us. Marigold blabbered in my ear, and I ignored her, focusing on what Star was telling David.

"There are some kids in that comic book shop over there that kicked me and Laddie out, said we were living with vampires or something. Laddie was almost in tears." I frowned and looked at Laddie who was clutching Star's skirt in one of his tiny hands, obvious tear streaks down his face. "Is there something I don't know? I know you guys all live together in that cave, but what's happening? What did I drink last night?"

I cut off Marigold as I stood and moved over to where they were standing. Laddie looked over at me and quickly ran over, launching himself into my arms as I bent down slightly. I held him up, and he wrapped his arms and legs around me the best he could as I supported him. I gave David a small nod as he gave me an appreciative look.

I then moved and sat beside Dwayne again who immediately took to making sure Laddie was okay. I was aware of Marigold watching us, but I couldn't care less at that moment. Star and David were talking in hushed whispers that I could still make out.

"Star, they're just dumb boys. Why are you worrying so much?"

"Because, something's wrong with me, and I don't know what it is. I never sleep that late. I can hear things I've never been able to hear before. Everyone smells like that fucking bottle, and I know it has something to do with what you guys gave me." She ran a hand through her hair, trying to keep her voice low.

"We didn't give it to you, Star. You took it. You agreed that you wanted a family, and you got one, but you knew there was a price."

"So, I'm, what, a fucking demon now? David, that doesn't make sense! Vampires aren't real."

David chuckled darkly, his expression slowly turning annoyed. "You knew there was a price, and we'll protect you. We'll be the family you never had. We're probably the best bet you've got here, but you need to realize that _you_ asked for it. _You_ took that bottle."

Star shook her head fiercely, and she moved to Dwayne and me, grabbing Laddie from my arms. I wanted to protest, but she gave me no room as she pulled him with her. "I'm going home, David. I'm going to think. Don't fucking come near me."

David simply raised his hand and waved her goodbye as she stomped down the boardwalk to wherever she was staying. I watched her disappear into the crowd, and I frowned a bit. Dwayne squeezed my side reassuringly, and Marigold was silent. I turned to see her frowning before she stood and walked away. I let her.

"I shouldn't have given her the bottle," I mumbled, rubbing my hands over my face in exasperation. "I'm a terrible friend. She's going to hate me now."

David's eyes snapped to me, and he shook his head, walking over so he could sit on the other side of me, slinging his arm around my shoulders. "No, we were going to have to do it either way. She'll trust you once she gets over it."

I nodded slowly and huffed, leaning my head on his shoulder. "How did you guys become vampires?"

David hummed and turned a bit, looking at me. "I was turned in the late 1800s. I was twenty-one, and I worked with my family on a farm. I had about seven siblings, so no one really noticed when I disappeared. I didn't belong there, but I really didn't know where I _did_ belong. Max found me after I beat up these kids trying to take my things. I had 'run away' from my family the other night." He used air quotations at the 'run away' part. "I kind of just disappeared. Max took me in and helped me live. I didn't drink from the bottle, I drank from his wrist after I saw him kill someone. He explained everything, and I just joined. I checked in on my family a while after, and it was like I was never there in the first place, so I don't really feel that bad."

David then looked over to Dwayne as did I. He smiled a bit and talked quietly. "David found me when I was twenty-two, I believe. He had been a vampire for about ten years, and he stumbled into the shop I was running with my mother. He stumbled in and knocked over two of our stands. Mom immediately screamed about demons, said he was filled with them. She tried to throw him out of the store, and I was barely able to stop her. He was passed out, and the sun was rising, so I threw him in one of the backrooms and told her that I would watch him. She was mad, told her that I needed to obey her, but I knew I couldn't do that. There was something about him that made me want to save him. The next night, he woke up and thanked me, told me he was running from a group of boys, though I later learned that he actually just forgot the sun was rising soon and knew he couldn't make it back to his home. He was lucky I put him in the room with no windows." David huffed, and I knew he was rolling his eyes. "He befriended me over a year, and then, I drank from the bottle, though it looked different at that time. I don't regret it either, but I still send money to my family every month."

Marko was next, and he easily stepped in front of us, his arm thrown around Paul. "I was next! It was like 1917. I was seventeen, and I was running because I was drafted into the war. I ran from New York to Idaho, and I met David and Dwayne in a diner. They kind of persuaded me to come with them, and I just followed. I was supposed to be their dinner that night, but I guess they kind of grew attached to me that night, and I drank about a week later."

"Then, me," Paul dragged out the sentence, a grin on his lips. "I was turned twenty-two years ago! I was an orphan, and I had just got pushed out of the orphanage because I turned eighteen. I slept in the streets for like half a year when I ran into Marko over here. He was coming out of a bar with this guy, and he pulled him into the alley I was sleeping in, and then just killed him. I tried running, and then he caught me, and I was brought to them, and they gave me the option to live or die, and I chose to live, though I guess I technically died in the process. I have the most boring story out of all of you guys!" He huffed and crossed his arms, and the others laughed.

I chuckled a bit with them. "I guess that's why they call you guys The Lost Boys," I stated simply, a small smile playing on my lips.

"Do they now," David questioned. "I like that name."

"Well, we're not lost. We have each other. We just _were_ lost!"

I chucked at Marko and rolled my eyes. "It's like the lost boys from Peter Pan! Does that make me Wendy?"

"I guess so," Dwayne murmured. I nodded firmly, and I stood up quickly.

I jumped onto Paul's back easily, and he caught my thighs. "Let's go window shopping," I cheered. Paul gasped and nodded. The boys followed as Paul began walking toward the stores, looking into each of them, when Marko let out a dramatic gasp. I turned to see him staring into a costume store with a massive grin on his face. He was staring at something in particular, but I couldn't make out what.

I watched as he sprinted into the store, and Paul squeezed my thighs before running as well. I laughed loudly and threw back my head as he sprinted and skidded to a stop, almost running straight into Marko. "What are you doing," I asked Marko in between giggles. He grinned at me and held up a package. I leaned forward and read the words printed across. 'Leather Cowboy Chaps' was printed in big letters, and I raised an eyebrow, a grin growing across my face. "I'm guessing you want those?"

"Are you kidding me," he yelled out. "I've been looking for something like this forever! I have the perfect boots to go with it!"

I laughed as he bounded over to the counter, grinning at the lady behind it who obviously looked uncomfortable. She told him the total, and he turned to David who rolled his eyes, sighed, and pulled out the correct amount of money.

Marko's face lit up again, and he grabbed the package before running out again, yelling about how we needed to get home so he could put them on. Paul easily followed him, and I simply laughed the whole time, clinging tighter to him. I knew David and Dwayne would take their time, so Paul sat me on his bike and sat in front of me, taking off onto the beach. I shook my head at how excited they were, enjoying the short ride.

Soon, we found ourselves in the cave. David and Dwayne showed up a few minutes after us to find Marko trying to figure out where he last put his cowboy boots. I was sitting in Paul's lap, both of us watching as he fumbled through his boxes. Dwayne had easily fallen onto the couch, and David sat in his chair after handing me two boxes of pizza. He told me it was for the three of us to share as Dwayne and David weren't hungry. I could smell blood on him, but I ignored it, grabbing a slice of pizza and handing one to Paul.

Marko let out an excited yell, and he held up a pair of beaten-up, old, cowboy boots. I watched him pull off his black boots and throw them to his section of the room before opening the package with his teeth. He pulled out the pair of leather chaps and slid them up his baggy pants easily. They were obviously tighter than the pants, so his jeans puffed out of the holes a bit. He then slid on the dirty boots and looked at me with a bright grin. He did a small spin before posing. "How do I look?"

I laughed and nodded my head. "You look beautiful."

"Really," he questioned in a high-pitched voice, clasping his hands together and tilting his head to the side.

"Now, you're gonna make me regret my decision." Marko gasped and clutched at his heart before falling down on the couch beside Dwayne. I shook my head and stood up, handing him a slice of pizza as I grabbed another one for myself. I then went to go sit on Paul again only to get pulled into David's grasp.

I huffed but relaxed into his hold, taking a bite of my pizza. He let out a soft hum and pressed his lips against my throat. I rolled my eyes and continued eating as he placed marks on my neck. I finished the slice easily before turning, pressing a kiss to his lips. He hummed again and pulled me against him. I moved so I was straddling him, and his hands rested on my ass as his tongue ran across my lower lip. I sighed quietly and opened my mouth, my hands resting on his shoulders as bliss filled my body. David took control easily, and I gripped his shoulder tightly as I moved my hips on his lap. He let out a quiet growl and gripped me tighter, grinning as I let out a satisfied moan.

He moved from my mouth slowly and moved down, nipping at my chin. I felt his fangs press against my skin as he moved to my neck, biting softly. I groaned, tilting my head to give him better access. I ground against him again as he reached the juncture between my neck and shoulder. My eyes fluttered open and then close again as he sucked another hickey into my neck. "David," I whined quietly, panting heavily. I moved my hands to his chest. He growled at the sound and nipped at me again. "David," I whined again.

David pulled away, and I opened my eyes, letting out a small whine. "I gotta stop now, sweetheart, or I'm not gonna be able to stop myself from taking you right here," he growled into my ear. I whimpered but nodded, setting my head on his shoulder as I tried to catch my breath. I felt myself grow tired, and I made out Dwayne stating that the sun was rising.

I lifted my head and pulled myself from David's lap, taking a moment to make sure I was steady. I made my way through the cave and to the bedroom, following Paul who was talking to Dwayne about something I didn't make out. David fell in step with me, and Marko made sure that everything was put out before following us.

I tore off my clothing easily and fell onto the bed into Dwayne's arms. He chuckled and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips before I snuggled into him, falling asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

**xviii.**

I stared at the book in my hands, my eyes skimming over the page over and over, though I wasn't actually able to ingest the information. My mind was elsewhere. Where it was, I wasn't sure, but I couldn't focus on the pages in hand. I wanted to scream.

I stood from the bed abruptly and walked over to where Marko was with his pigeons. He gave me an easy smile, and I returned it before grabbing the joint sticking out from his pocket. He just raised an eyebrow and continued petting the bird's coat.

I walked back over to the couch and sat down, grabbing a lighter from the pocket of my jacket. I lit the joint easily and sat back as I took a few drags. It was quiet in the cave, an unusual occurrence, really. Normally, the boys were jumping around and yelling or dancing, but everyone was out except Marko and me. I didn't want to leave, and Marko didn't want to leave me alone, so we were stuck in this situation.

I took another drag of the blunt and relaxed farther into the chair, a small smile on my lips. Music played in the background, but I didn't care to figure out what it was. I could tell it was rock of some sort, an album Marko had picked out, but that was all I knew.

I swung my legs up so I was laid with my legs on the top of the couch and my back on the seat. I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself from whatever I was feeling. The weed was helping, but it wasn't enough. I needed a distraction before I exploded in screams. "Hey, Marko," I mumbled quietly, knowing he could hear me. "Can you please come over and kiss me."

I recognized the sound of a pigeon flying away and his boots hitting the cave floor before he was standing in front of me. He crouched in front of me and offered another small smile before placing his lips on mine. It was strange as I was upside down, but it did the trick.

I focused on the way his lips moved against mine, fitting like a puzzle piece it seemed. It was something I figured I might never get used to. I never felt sparks or fireworks. I just felt like I was finally home.

Through my small lifetime, I had come to realize that home was never a place, it was a person or a group of people. It was the feeling they gave you like you've never felt safer. Home is someone you can tell everything. Home is someone who you could pick out of a crowd easily because you'd never lose them. Home to me was the four boys I had grown attached to, and I wasn't sure what I would do if I lost my home.

Marko pulled away and gave me a questioning look. He helped me sit up properly before asking me the question he had been wondering. "What's going on inside that pretty little head of yours?"

I sighed and took another drag of my blunt before responding. "I am in love with the four of you."

It was a simple sentence. It was only nine small words strung together to form a declaration of sorts, but it made my shoulders feel lighter like someone had pulled a ton of bricks off them. I could breathe properly, it seemed, and it was such a simple sentence, but the way Marko's eyes lit up, I knew it was so much more.

Sure, I had told them 'I love you' over the course of our relationship but loving someone and being in love with someone was something completely different. Loving someone was an attachment. It was the way you appreciated your friends or family. You knew you would be hurt deeply if something happened to them, but it was something you could get over. When you're in love with something, it was like the only thing that mattered was that. It was like your life was intertwined with theirs, and you couldn't live without them. Love was something that faded over time, but falling into it, it was something that never left you, no matter what. Being in love with someone was beautiful yet retched and evil at the same time. Being in love with someone was something irreversible and complete, and I was in love with these four boys.

I continued speaking without realizing it. "And I know the other three aren't here to hear that, but I needed to say it. It wasn't even intentional, but I think over the course of these few months, I've come realize that I don't think I would be _living_ if it weren't for you boys, and I don't think I could thank you enough for walking into my shop that night and taking me with you because there's something so beautiful about this life that I can't explain, and I wouldn't give it up for the world. I know my mind is full of doubt, stupid seeds planted by Marigold, but when I'm around you boys, you make me feel loved and protected, and you make me want to live. My life was nothing until you walked in."

Marko blinked a few times. "I think I speak for the other boys as well when I say that we feel the exact same about you. Life was fun, and it was normal – well, as normal as it can be for a vampire – but something was always missing. It was you, we know now. We were missing you. We've all had each other for a while, and we've messed around with each other a few times as well with other people we've dragged home and then killed, but there was always that little something in the back of our heads. I could tell David was about to snap, and Dwayne wasn't far behind when I saw you in that shop. I guess I kind of freaked you out in the beginning, but looking at you, I was starstruck. You were everything we've ever wanted – _needed –_ and you had been right there, and I was so angry when Marigold kissed you that I left. It took a lot of courage for me to actually walk in. Paul could've done it, but I wanted to, and when you first talked to me, I was so blown away by the fact that you weren't scared of us like all the others. I mean, you were hesitant, but most people don't even let us near their shops." Marko chuckled a bit, and he grabbed my hands after I dropped what was left of my blunt. "I couldn't help myself from kissing you, and it must have been so strange for you, but we had been waiting for so long just to have you. I think you've saved us more than you realize. We're all completely in love with you, Evangeline Winters."

I gave him a shaky grin, tears in my eyes. I jumped forward again, kissing him as passionately as I could, letting my emotions fall into everything. Tears ran down my face steadily, but I ignored them as I got as close to Marko as I could, pressing my entire body against his. He returned my actions the same amount, kissing me slowly yet feverishly. My hands were shaky as I placed them on his chest, but his were sure as they held my face softly, pushing away tears as his lips spoke words that his voice couldn't.

I was aware of the passing of time, and after a full song had passed, we pulled away completely, and I leaned my head on his neck, wrapping my arms around him tightly. "Thank you," I whispered against him, and he responded with a simple nod. He pulled me down so we could say on the small couch together. My back was to the couch, my face pressed against his chest. His back was to the world, and it made me realize how much he would protect me in any circumstance.

We laid like that for an hour, perfectly silent. His hands would move through my hair, twisting it together and pulling it apart, braiding it only to put it back to normal. I was content with tracing one of my hands along his side, memorizing every dip and curve of what I could reach. He released what sounded and felt like purring, and it was oddly calming. I found myself drifting off until I heard Rain barking loudly. I groaned and watched as the boys dropped into the cave with Star and Laddie right behind.

Dwayne made his way over to us first and placed a kiss against my lips. Then, Paul hopped over to us with a bright grin. He told me about how Laddie had helped him pick out a new stereo. He kissed my cheek. David was last. He kissed my lips for a bit longer than the others, almost savoring it. I watched as they dispersed around the cave. Star sent me a small smile, and I lifted myself from the couch much to Marko's disappointment. He let out a small whine, and I bent down to kiss his cheek as I stood. He smiled at that and watched me walk over to Star who immediately hugged me.

"Hey, Star," I mumbled. She responded with a greeting and let out a quiet sigh. "What's wrong?" Something seemed to always be wrong with the girl, but I was here to listen.

"Can we talk somewhere else?"

I nodded and pulled her up the stairs to where we talked the first night. She fell to the ground with her legs crossed. She let out a sigh and watched me sit beside her. "You're one of them, aren't you? You're a vampire?"

I shook my head and pursed my lips. "No, I drank the blood the same night you did. I'm not a full one."

She nodded and stared at the lighthouse, her eyes watering. "I'm sorry I always come to you with my problems. You just always seem to have an answer, or you're really good at cheering me up."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I've just always been a listener. I'm here whenever you need me."

She nodded again, and I watched as she placed her face in her hands, her elbows on her knees. "I don't want to be a vampire, Evangeline. I want to be with you, but I don't want to kill people. I don't want to do that. I don't like hurting people, and I can't even think about ending someone's life just so I can live." Tears gathered in her eyes. "And what about Laddie? What am I going to do with him?"

"We can watch him."

"And then what? He turns into one too? I don't want him to be like that. I just moved away from a murderer, and now I have to become one? Mom always did say I would turn out like dad." I raised an eyebrow, but she answered my question before it even left my lips. "He was in a gang, Evangeline. He killed people for money and drugs. That's why the divorce was so bad. The entire city was now against us. He didn't care for his kids, and everyone hated my mom, so we had to get out of there before we got killed."

"Jesus. Your life is pretty fucked up, Star," I stated simply. She laughed a harsh laugh and nodded. "But maybe that's why you found us," I stated simply. "I guess my life was better than you guys', but we all found each other because we're lost. We all needed a family, and we brought you in. Sure, we didn't really specify what joining meant, but how bad can it be? You get four protective brothers and a sister to talk to whenever. Take as long as you need to become a full, but someday, it's going to happen. Just accept it, and enjoy it. Enjoy having an actual family. You deserve it."

Star laughed another harsh laugh and shook her head. "I'm going to find a way out of becoming a vampire, Evangeline. This may be what you want, but I can't even stomach the thought."

I shrugged my shoulders. "There's not a way out of it, Star. Just think about it. A small price to pay for a nice reward. Plus, now you can protect Laddie fully. No one can hurt you anymore." Star sniffed and stared at the water, and I looked at the sky as it began to get lighter. "Come on, let's get to bed."

Star nodded, and I led her down the stairs. She was a few steps behind, and she immediately walked to her bed when she stepped inside. Laddie was already laid down and half asleep, clutching a teddy bear to his chest. I smiled at the image, and Star settled herself, curling around him.

I felt someone wrap their arms around me from behind, and I turned to see Paul smiling at me. I smiled back and kissed him quickly before turning as I felt David grab my chin, his gloved hand rubbing against my skin. I hummed as he kissed me softly, barely there, before pressing harder. I sighed as he pulled away and gave him a soft smile. He grinned back and pulled me to him, leading me to the bedroom.

We stumbled into the dark room quickly, and I sat down on the bed, watching the boys undress slowly, stripping to their boxers. I smiled a bit, enjoying the view. Marko was the first one to notice me staring, and he chuckled a bit as he pulled his crop top over his head, placing it in his pile of clothes. "Need help undressing or something, Angel?"

I grinned and leaned back on the bed, propped up on my elbows. "Well, if you're offering," I trailed off.

His face turned to a devilish grin, and he walked forward. He leaned forward and easily hooked his fingers at the bottom of my shirt. He dragged it off of me slowly, and the action of taking off clothes had never seemed more sensual than right then.

I leaned forward once my shirt was gone and kissed him softly. He grinned into it, and his finger fumbled with the buttons of my jeans. He pulled them down slowly and pulled away from the kiss so he could drag them completely down my legs. He tossed them somewhere in the room before pulling his lips to mine again, letting out a soft growl as I tugged at his hair. I giggled and pulled away. I pushed myself backward and dropped myself in the middle of the bed. The boys fell around me, and I grinned as Dwayne drew patterns in the skin of my stomach.

"I love you guys," I stated simply.

"I love you, too," they each mumbled in response.


	14. Chapter 14

**xiv.**

It was a little more than a week later when I finally made my way back to the boardwalk. I hadn't left the cave in quite a while, but I wanted to take Rain out for a walk, and I wanted to take the flowers from my shop. I would find somewhere to plant them all once I arrived back at the cave. I didn't plan on taking the actual flowers, but I would grab the seeds and everything I needed from there.

I left while it was still light outside, though it was a bit annoying. The sun was uncomfortably bright, but I slid a pair of sunglasses on and layered a bit more clothing than normal on. I left a note to the boys that I was out and put Rain on his leash before making my way up the annoying stairs. Luckily for me, a few days ago, Marko bought me a cart to go on the side of my motorcycle so Rain could ride with me. It took a bit of convincing and whining, but I convinced him, and I couldn't be happier. Rain was a bit goofy looking inside the small cart, but he fit, and I learned that he enjoyed motorcycle rides quite a bit.

I sped down the beach and to the boardwalk, dodging people easily. I ignored the dirty looks, instead paying attention to Rain who sat with his tongue out, watching people around us. I parked in front of my shop and clipped his leash to my belt hook.

I had forgotten how the boardwalk looked during the day, and though it wasn't as beautiful as the night, it was more playful and cheery. Whereas the night was filled with teenagers and people running around hoping to cause trouble, the day was filled with cheery families and happy old couples that reflected on how it looked. I walked down the boardwalk with a small pep in my step despite how tired I was in the beating sun. I knew I needed to grab some things from the shop, but I wanted to explore on my own for a bit.

I passed by the comic book shop and faltered. I bit my lip and stared inside, debating on looking for the comic Laddie had asked for the days before. They hadn't gone near the shop after the incident, and I knew Laddie was unhappy about it. It was, after all, the only comic shop in Santa Carla, surprisingly. I knew what he was looking for: the new Superman comics along with some Spider-man books. I took a few more moments to think it over before stepping into the shop.

It was a standard store with short aisles filled with a variety of comics that didn't seem to have a specific order. There was a counter with the register, and two people sat slumped against a TV that played the news quietly in the background. I could make out two boys placing comics in spots, not paying me any attention. I looked down at Rain before deciding to just keep him with me.

I moved through the aisles slowly, raking my eyes over the issues carefully, trying to figure out which ones looked the best. I had picked up about five of them before I was approached by the boys. They stood in front of me and moved when I did, blocking me. I sighed and stared at them before glancing at the sun that was slowly setting. "Hello," I stated simply, staring at the boys.

"We don't like your kind in our store," the one with the bandana spoke, his voice gruff as if he watched too many action films.

I scratched my arm at the statement, watching as Rain's fur bristled at my uncomfortable expression. "I'm not quite sure what you're talking about. I'm just trying to buy some comics."

The one with the tan skin spoke next, his arms crossed over his chest. "I think you know exactly what we're talking about. You're always around them, doing _couple-ly_ things."

I rolled my eyes at that, trying not to show how shook I was. "I don't know what you're talking about. Listen, I'm just trying to buy these comics for my little brother. Do you want my money or not?"

"We don't want it if it's coming from _vampire scum_ like you," the bandana kid stated.

I rolled my eyes again and crossed my arms like they had. "Come on, dudes. I've got like fifty on me. I'm just getting comics for a kid. Is that a crime?"

The sun seemed to be taking forever to set, and I was getting antsy. Rain growled lowly at the boys, and I shushed him quietly. The boys' eyes drifted down to him for a second before returning to me. "Yes. It is. Now get out." Bandana kid was the one to speak again, and I frowned harshly.

I shook my head and opened my purse, watching them from the corner of my eye. I pulled out fifteen dollars – way more than the comics were – and handed it out to them. "I'm taking these comics. I'm sure this is way more than they're worth. Thanks for ruining my night."

The tan kid snatched it out of my hand, and I walked toward the exit. The sun had finally set, and I could hear the boys' bikes in the distance. "Yeah, and stay out," the bandana kid yelled as I stepped out.

I turned, clenching the fist not holding the books tightly. "Fuck you," I yelled back only to gasp as I felt an arm wrap around my waist. I turned to see David looking at me, his eyebrows raised. He looked into the store for a second, silently asking if I wanted him to do something, but I shook my head and grabbed his hand, leading him away. He followed without saying anything, and I bit my lip as we approached the rest of the boys.

I smiled a bit at the sight of Laddie sitting on Dwayne's bike. He grinned when he saw me and hopped off, running over and wrapping his arms around my leg. "Hey, little dude," I said, picking him up so he was resting on my hip. "I got you some things." I showed him the comics in my hand, and his eyes widened, a bright smile on his face. He made grabby hands for them, and I set him down on the boardwalk before handing them to him. He giggled loudly and ran over to Paul, showing them off.

I sighed and leaned into David as he wrapped his arm around me again. I turned and wrapped my arms around him completely, burying my head in his neck. David pushed his hand under my jacket and rubbed at my exposed back. The crop top I was wearing showed off most of my mid-riff. I groaned a bit and tightened my grip a bit. "Why'd you leave early, princess?"

I groaned and shrugged my shoulders. "I dunno. I went to actually go get some flower stuff from my shop, but then I got distracted. Felt like I was gonna hit that little kid." David chuckled at that. "How do they know what we are, anyway?"

"Beats me. Little fuckers know how to research, I guess."

I hummed and nodded. "Think they're gonna be a problem?"

"I'm pretty sure we can take down two fourteen-year-olds." He laughed again, and I felt myself get passed to another boy. The brunette hair told me that it was Dwayne, and I smiled against him as he hugged me tightly.1

"You had us worried, princess. Was afraid somethin' happened."

I pressed my lips against his neck and shook my head. "I'm sorry, my warrior. I'm all good, though." Dwayne purred lowly, and his hands moved to grip my waist. "I love you," I mumbled against his skin, and he purred louder.

"I love you, too, my princess."

We stood like that for a few more moments before I pulled away, meeting the eyes of the rest of the boys who had been watching us. I smiled at them and pulled myself up so I was sitting on the railing of the boardwalk. "So, what do you guys want to do," I questioned as I pet Rain.

"Go get your flower stuff and maybe some food," David stated, though it was more of a question. I nodded and jumped down. Rain bumbled after me, walking near me, but not too close. David wrapped his arm around my waist, and Dwayne moved to wrap his around my shoulders. Marko and Paul were behind us. Laddie rode on Paul's shoulder, and Marko was talking to Star about something he had seen earlier. I didn't listen. Instead, I focused on the wilting flowers in my shop. I frowned at the sight, annoyed that I had let them die.

I unlocked the door easily and walked in. The boys immediately dispersed, and Star looked around with a small bit of awe on her face. "This is yours?"

I nodded and moved to behind the counter. "Yeah. I used to work here before I moved in with the boys. I have my own house, too, but I don't use it much, obviously. I was thinking about selling it, but it might be of some use later on, so I keep it." I pulled open a drawer to reveal jars of all kinds of seeds, each labeled with their respective flower. "It used to be a lot prettier in here, especially when the plants were _alive_ , but I haven't been taking care of them like I'm supposed to. Maybe you can help me find somewhere near the cave to plant them." I looked up to see Star nod slowly, a small smile on her face.

Laddie was helping Paul pick the remaining living flowers around the shop, sitting them in his hair with soft laughs escaping the two of them. Dwayne watched Paul, his back leaned against an empty wall. Marko had found my radio and was fiddling with the settings. I knew he had probably broken it on accident, but I wasn't going to say anything. David was watching me as I bent over and picked up the small jars, placing them in a canvas bag I had stashed in another drawer.

After placing all the jars in the bag, I grabbed my spray bottles and plant food, silently hoping I could find somewhere with the right soil near the cave. I placed the bag on the counter, and Marko instantly took it, holding it for me. I smiled at the action, and I looked around the shop for anything else I might need. My eyes stopped on the familiar dreamcatcher sitting on the wall.

I grinned and stood on my tiptoes so I could take it down. I held it in my hands for a second before calling Star over. She stepped in front of me with a curious look. "This is going to sound very cheesy, but bear with me." Star nodded, and I placed the dreamcatcher in her hands. "I got this the first day I saw all the boys. It holds a lot of value in my heart, I'm not going to lie, but I'm going to give it to you." Star furrowed her eyebrows, and she opened her mouth to protest, but I cut her off. "I'm giving it to you because I want you to realize that things are going to get better. I know you're still on the fence about the whole vampire thing, but I'm letting you know that even though I was at a partially bad part of my life, I still found something – some _people_ – that helped me a whole lot, and things are going to get better for you because I believe in you, Star, and you're going to make the right decision, and you're going to be happy."

Star stared at the item in her hand before she spoke quietly, her voice almost a whisper. "Thank you, Eva."

I smiled a bit and nodded, laughing as she pulled me into a hug. "I'm your sister now, Star. Anything for you."

Star squeezed me a bit tighter before letting go, and I turned to meet the eyes of the boys. They all looked a bit shocked, but they composed themselves under my gaze. I smiled at them and crossed my arms. "So, where are we eating?"

After that, we went to a small Chinese place that had just opened up. Marko was excited at the news, claiming that Chinese was his absolute favorite and grew offended when I told him hibachi restaurants were my favorite. He ran with me through the crowds, his hand holding mine as I stumbled behind. Rain loved the opportunity to run and easily kept up.

After dinner, we bumbled around the boardwalk, and I watched as the boys tried to start up drama with the surf nazis. Star, Laddie, and I hung back as David almost got into a fight with one of the boys after the boy grabbed my arm. We fled, though, before a security made his way over. After a few good hours of hanging around, we made our way back to the cave, and Star and I looked around the area for good places to plant the seeds.

Star hummed a song quietly as we walked around the area. My hands were stuffed in my pockets as I scanned the ground below the cliff. Her singing was oddly calming, and it reminded me of a siren. Her voice could lure in the most unsuspecting of men. "I didn't know you could sing," I stated simply as I bent down to study some dirt. It was almost perfect, but I knew that if we moved just a little bit around, we would find the perfect area.

I looked up to see Star flush red at the sentence. "Thank you, but I'm not that good."

I shook my head. "Well, you're definitely a lot better than most people I've heard, though all I can think about recently is Paul's terrible singing." We both jokingly shivered, and I laughed a bit. "But, for real, you have talent. You should embrace it."

Star smiled a bit and watched as I dug my hands into another patch of dirt. "I always dreamed of being a singer. I don't think I'd be one of those big ones, though. I'd always have small shows. Big crowds would just freak me out."

I nodded and stood, wiping my hands on my jeans and making note of where the area was. I could plainly see the entrance to the cave, so I knew the boys wouldn't mind. "Sing me something," I stated simply.

Star paused for a second and shrugged her shoulders. She started singing slowly, barely audible, but as I encouraged her, she was singing loudly, a bright grin on her face. I recognized the song as 'Bette Davis Eyes.' It was a favorite of my mom's, and it was also one of mine. She went through the first verse and chorus before she stopped. I grinned brightly and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her to the cave. "Yes, you're very, very talented."

When we stepped into the cave, we were met with the sight of Dwayne rolling around on a skateboard while Paul was laying on the ground with Laddie jumping on his stomach. David was flipping through a book, and Marko was playing with his pigeons. It was a funny sight, to say the least.

"Star," Laddie yelled when we reappeared. He jumped from Paul and bumbled over to Star, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "Star, I'm tired. Can we go to bed." Star looked at me before nodding to Laddie. "Goodnight, guys," he yelled out, pulling Star to the bed. They each responded with a 'goodnight', and I waved to the two.

I smiled a bit as they disappeared behind the curtains. "Well," I announced, making my way to the hallway, "I'm going to go take a shower. One of you can join me if you want." I threw off my shirt as I entered the hallway, throwing it to the lobby. Immediately, there were footsteps behind me, and I heard the boys protest before I disappeared into the bathroom. Once you entered another room of the cave, the rest of the sound was cut off, even for vampire ears, and it was a quiet blessing.

I turned to see Paul taking off his mesh shirt, his jacket already discarded. I chuckled a bit and pushed my pants down my legs easily, my shoes forgotten when we first got back to the cave. I turned on the hot water before I took off my bra and underwear, entering the shower immediately after. Paul followed quickly, and we stood in silence for a few moments before I felt him move so he was directly behind me. He moved my hair from one side of my neck, his fingertips dancing along my sides, barely there.

I hummed as he pressed his lips against my throat. He trailed them along the sides of my neck, laughing when I let out a quiet moan. The incredibly cool feeling of Paul's body behind me clashed with the warm water, and it sent a new wave of euphoria through me as his hands moved from my sides to my breasts, his thumbs rubbing across my nipples.

I moaned softly and leaned against him. He chuckled quietly, and I pulled away from him slowly. "I do actually need to get clean. I haven't showered in three days because of you boys, and I feel gross." I looked over at him and laughed a bit. "And I'm sure your hair could use a good cleaning seeing as how much hairspray you put in it."

"Hey," he said quietly, and I laughed in response.

I grabbed his face with my hands and pecked his lips. "I love you," I dragged out.

He grinned a childish grin and bent to kiss me as I did him. "And, I love you."

"Now, help me get clean."

The two of us worked slowly. Paul seemed to take great joy in rubbing soap along every inch of my body. I had to smack his hands a few times when he tried something inappropriate, but he made me like showers just a bit more. As for washing himself, we didn't really have to do much. There wasn't very much dirt or sand on him, and vampires don't sweat, apparently. Really, I just spent a decent amount of time running soap through his hair, working out the hairspray and moisturizing it. It wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, but it definitely wasn't the best. He thoroughly enjoyed me tugging and carding through his hair. A few times, he let a moan or groan slip, but I ignored it, working the hairspray out of his hair.

When we stepped out, I laughed a bit, but I commented on how cute he looked with his hair wet and not as puffed up. It seemed to always have its own bounce and lift to it, but it wasn't as bad as when he had hairspray in every inch of it.

Paul pulled me toward the bedroom with an exasperated sigh, saying that showering had tired him out and now he needed to sleep, or he would pass out on the floor. I giggled and followed him. Both of us had towels wrapped around us, and I gripped mine tighter when we reached the bedroom. I knew I would be dropping it, but I also knew that Marko would easily grab it from me if he wanted to.

The boys watched as we entered, and Marko laughed at the sight of Paul. He immediately walked up and ran a hand through his hair slowly. "It's been a while since I've seen you without the spray, Paul. It's cute."

Paul grinned and chuckled, leaning forward to press a kiss against Marko's forehead. "Yeah, whatever, dude. Now, move so I can put on some boxers."

I laughed. "Yeah, if you haven't heard, Paul has decided that if he doesn't go to bed in the next two minutes, he's going to pass out right where he's standing."

Marko laughed and shook his head. I rummaged through my drawer of the dresser and pulled out a thin, black lace bra with matching underwear. I dropped my towel and pulled my bra on before hiking the underwear up my legs. I fell onto the bed and felt myself get dragged up to the boys. I met David's face, and I grinned a tired grin at him. I could feel the sun rising.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are," David questioned.

I grinned and nodded. "Way more time than I can count, David."

"Well, I'll say it again. You are absolutely exquisite, sweetheart."

I smiled and moved forward so I could kiss him softly. I pulled away after a short second. "Thank you, David." I turned myself on my side and felt my back get pulled into Dwayne's front. David moved so he rested a bit lower on me, more near my breasts. Paul was behind David this time, his hand coming to lift mine so he could hold it to him. Marko was still laying on my legs, though. His head rested on my thighs, and his arms wrapped around my calves. I smiled again. "Goodnight, boys."

"Goodnight," each mumbled, followed by a pet name.


	15. Chapter 15

**xv.**

Three weeks passed, and I could tell David was getting antsy about Star and me. We still hadn't fed, and it was annoying him just a bit. He was trying to be patient with me, but Star whined every time we brought it up. I wanted to wait until Star fed for the first time, so we could do it together. I figured that it might make things easier for the two of us if we had someone right there.

My hunger was beginning to hurt, though. I would get harsh cramps that I was slowly getting used to, but it was getting harder to be out on the boardwalk, and I was almost never in the sun anymore.

Today, however, I was going to ignore the cramps and urges, and I was going to go out. It was Halloween, after all, and I felt like everyone needed something to lighten their moods. We weren't wearing costumes, but Star and I were more dressed up than normal. We blended in with the boys just a bit more, and I felt good. Star and I had woken up a few hours early, though it was incredibly hard to draw myself from the bed, and we helped each other get ready considering we couldn't use a mirror all too well.

I was clad in high-waisted black leather pants. A red cropped tank top exposed part of my stomach that the pants didn't cover, and a belt matching the red of the top hung around my waist, though it didn't do much. I stuffed ankle boots over my feet, and a black leather jacket I had stolen from Marko – considering he never wore it – was pulled on over my shirt. My hair was a bit higher than normal, something that required me sneaking back in the room and stealing one of Paul's many bottles of hairspray. At least one ring sat on each one of my fingers except my left ring finger. Each ring was a gift from the boys, and they were all real. I loved looking at them shine under soft sunlight. Star had done my makeup consisting of smoky eyeshadow, black mascara to cover my blonde eyelashes, thin eyeliner, a bit of blush and highlight, but not much, and bold red lipstick.

Star was dressed in her normal white tank top, but she borrowed one of my mid-thigh black skirts and pulled a belt around it considering I was bigger than her. She had on a wide black jacket with gold tassels on the arms and embroidered roses on the front pulled on as well. It had been a gift from Paul; Star and I had stayed in the cave all night, and when they returned, Paul threw the jacket at her, saying he got it because it reminded him of her. She was in love with it, and I loved how they were warming up to her. She had on ankle boots as well, and her hair was thrown in her normal curly style. I put makeup similar to mine on her, but it was a bit lighter because I knew she didn't like heavy makeup. Plus, she had more natural beauty than me, and it was something I admired about her. She also had large, gold, hoop earrings in her ears, and a few different bracelets sat on her wrists.

We both looked hot.

The boys walked out a few minutes after we had finished getting ready. I had been waking up Laddie, telling him that we were going out, when I felt someone place their hands on my hips. I immediately stood up properly and turned to see Marko grinning a Cheshire cat grin. I rolled my eyes and gave him a good morning kiss before pulling Laddie out of my bed. The kid took a few moments to realize what was going on before he was running to get his jacket and shoes. Dwayne had recently gifted him with a jacket in the style of a marching band uniform, and Laddie absolutely loved it, wearing it everywhere he could.

I giggled as Marko took my hand and pulled me toward the lobby where the others were waiting. David was sitting in his wheelchair throne with his leg thrown over one of the sides. He grinned when he saw me and motioned me over with the curl of his finger. I raised my eyebrows and sauntered over to him, swinging my hips a bit more than normal. His smirk told me that he liked it quite a bit.

Once I got in arms reach, David grabbed my hips and pulled me forward so I bent down to his height. He leaned forward just a bit and pressed his lips against mine. I chuckled and pulled away, shaking my head at his red-stained lips. "I wouldn't recommend doing that all too much, baby. Gonna get lipstick all over you." I rubbed my thumb against his mouth and got rid of the smudged lipstick on his mouth.

David smiled at the attention and kissed the palm of my hand before I pulled away. Dwayne took my hand next and pulled me to him, kissing the top of my head. "You look beautiful," he stated simply before pulling away.

I grinned and watched him step over as Laddie collided into me, almost knocking me over. His giggles ran through the room as he made hands for me to pick him up. I chuckled a bit at the nine-year-old and lifted him up, laughing as he played with the curls of my hair. "Star said we're going to the boardwalk! Is it true? I want to go on the carousel and the roller coaster and get cotton candy and-"

I cut him off with a laugh. "Yes, yes, Laddie, we're going. We were waiting for you. Are you ready to go?" Laddie nodded enthusiastically, and I chuckled again, setting him on the ground. "Well, then why don't you go hop on up and get to Dwayne's bike? I'm sure Star will go with you to make sure you're safe."

Star looked up at my words and nodded, smiling as Laddie grabbed her hand and pulled her to the exit. He chatted loudly about all the things he wanted to do, but I couldn't blame him. He had been sitting around here for quite a little while.

I was about to step forward to follow them until I felt someone grab me and pull me over their shoulder. "Marko," I shrieked, noticing the long blonde curls running down his colorful jacket.

"You're takin' too long, Angel," he called out as he began taking long strides to the exit.

"I swear to whatever god is out there, if you drop me, I'm going to stake you in your sleep, and you'll never see the light of night again!"

Marko laughed a loud laugh at my threat and began walking up the stairs quickly. I could hear the other boys following us, but I couldn't see them, unfortunately. "I haven't dropped you once yet," Marko stated easily.

"Uh! Remember when-"

"Okay, I may have _accidentally_ dropped you once, but that was because you were flailing too much. Besides, Dwayne caught you."

"Yes, and it seems that Dwayne is the only one I can trust enough to throw me over their shoulder."

Marko laughed teasingly, and his free hand came up to smack my ass. I gasped and hit him in response. He growled teasingly and swatted my ass again. "Don't make me punish you, Angel," he stated easily as we reached the last of the stairs.

"Oh, what are you gonna do? You're not my dad." My tone was teasing, and I heard the other boys laugh.

"No," Marko stated as he placed me on the ground. I met his face, and an easy grin was prominent. "But I can be your dad _dy._ "

My eyes widened at the statement, and I hit his arm, letting out a breathless laugh. "So you're into _that_ kind of stuff, huh?"

Marko growled teasingly, and his hands slithered from my hips to my ass, squeezing it lightly. "Why don't I show you?"

I hummed and leaned forward to kiss him softly. I pulled away after a few seconds, my eyes barely open. "How about you show me later, huh? Right now, we have a kid to entertain."

I pulled out of his grip and moved to Paul's bike, sliding on behind him. Star was behind David, and Laddie was behind Dwayne. Paul grinned at me as I wrapped my arms around my waist, placing my head on his shoulder. "Hey, babe. Ready for a ride?"

"Oh, if only it was the one I'm thinking of," I whispered in his ear. His hand moved from the handle of his bike to my thigh, and he squeezed it lightly.

"Don't start teasin', babe. I can't hold back like Marko can."

I giggled lightly and hummed lightly. "Well, then I guess I'll settle for this ride. Let's go, babe."

Paul revved his engine, and the boys revved theirs in response. Then, we were off, speeding down the cliff, through the woods, and over the beach at speeds I could barely recognize. I let out small laughs and giggles as the boys cheered loudly, and Star seemed to be enjoying herself as well as she let out soft, barely there, giggles.

The ride was short, however, and soon, we were standing in our normal spot, staring around at the crowd of people. I took shallow breaths as I looked around, trying to control myself. Paul wrapped his arm around me, trying to comfort me, and I smiled a bit at the action, turning to peck him on the cheek. Soon, Laddie was bounding over to me, a bright grin on his face as he looked around.

Half the people of the boardwalk were dressed in costumes of all sorts while the other half was dressed in their normal attire. I silently questioned how a thin bikini and cat ears could pass as a costume before Laddie was dragging me through the crowd. The others were following us, but Laddie was leading the way, taking us to the large roller coaster. We skipped ahead of the line easily once they noticed who we were, and I was pulled into a seat and held onto tightly.

The night continued like that. Laddie would drag us around and pull me onto rides while the boys waited for us to get off. Star joined us on a few, but she explained that she got motion sick easily, and even being half-vampire didn't help that much. I reassured her that it was fine and I would follow Laddie to whatever ride he desired.

However, it only took about an hour for Laddie to get tired out from screaming, laughing, and running. So, we got some Chinese food for the three of us, and the boys left, saying they were going to get something else to eat. Star and I knew what that meant.

We sat on a bench for a little bit before Laddie noticed the costume store where Marko bought his chaps. His food was completely gone, and so was ours, so Star and I followed him into the little store. It was surprisingly empty for being Halloween, but it meant we were able to look around freely. I stared at the women's costumes with a raised eyebrow. All of them were promiscuous in some way even for things that didn't need to be. Who wants to be a sexy bumble bee?

Laddie was rifling through the one dollar items like headbands and small toys, and Star and I looked over all the costumes. Her eyes fell on one, and she let out a small laugh. I turned to see what she was looking at and laughed with her at the 'sexy vampire' set that consisted of a corset, tutu, and fake fangs. It looked completely ridiculous.

I was snapped out of my thoughts as Laddie ran over to us, a grin on his lips. "Can we dress up! Please! Please! Please! I know we can't go trick-or-treating, but can we buy costumes?"

I set Laddie a small smile and nodded my head, and he gave another excited laugh before running to his section of the store. I turned to Star to see her staring at me with raised eyebrows. "We're dressing up?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm sure we can find something that isn't completely terrible."

No, we couldn't. The options around us were completely terrible, and though Star found a somewhat decent Wonder Woman costume considering Laddie wanted to dress as Superman, I found myself staring at my options with an annoyed expression. I didn't want people to see me in any of this. Why did I agree to Laddie?

I huffed and grabbed the best thing I could see which happened to be a 'police officer' costume, though it wasn't at all. We all placed our bags on the counters, and the cashier rang us up. I paid with money David gave to us before they left, and then, we were being pulled toward the changing stalls by the beach.

I stood in the stall for a good moment, staring at the costume in my hands in disgust, before I opened the package. The costume was barely anything. The actual clothing portion was what resembled a one-piece bathing suit made out of cotton. Instead of regular straps, they were mesh and exposed my chest but covered my arms in the see-through material. There was a piece made of leather that looked like the letter L. It wrapped around me right under my breasts and sat on my shoulder like a spaghetti strap top. I fastened the belt around my waist and placed the fake weapons and badge inside the correct places. Mid-thigh fishnet stockings and decently high heels finished the bottom portion of it, and I sat a decently made police beret on my head. I glared at myself in the mirror and poked at the costume before stuffing my normal clothes in my bag and exiting the stall.

"Okay, so this may have been an absolutely terrible idea," I stated only to stop as I met the eyes of my boys. They each stared at me with varying emotions written across their face, though they all added up to one thing: lust. Star stood beside them in her Wonder Woman costume that fit her perfectly, and Laddie was grinning in his Superman costume. "Well, at least you look hot, Star," I stated.

Star chuckled a bit and gave me a small smile. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"I think I broke the boys." I motioned my head to where they still stood still. "I mean, they've seen me naked before, so I'm not quite sure why I'm getting this reaction. Do I look bad?"

"No, you look fucking hot," Paul yelled out, striding forward easily. He grabbed my face and pulled me toward him so he could kiss me harshly.

I giggled and pulled away, shaking my head. "You're going to ruin my makeup!" I sighed and wiped the lipstick off his face, but he simply grinned. Typical.

I turned to see Star covering Laddie's eyes and giving me a smirk. I rolled my eyes and smiled, walking over to them with a bit more pep in my step. Star uncovered Laddie's eyes, and I bent down to meet his eyes, laughing a bit as the boys let out quiet groans. "What do you want to do now, dude?"

Laddie hummed before jumping up and down. "Can we go look in all the stores? Then, we can go home, and Paul can play me my favorite album, and then, I'll go to bed!"

I nodded, and he grabbed Star and my hands, pulling us to the public eye. I heard Star call for one of the boys to grab the bags of our stuff as Laddie led us out into the crowd. We passed by shops of all kinds, but only one shop caught his eye, unfortunately. The comic shop.

I shared an uneasy look with Star as he pulled us near it. "Stay out here unless I call you in, boys," I called over my shoulder. I immediately heard groans of disapproval, but I sent them a pointed look, turning and placing my hands on my hips. "You stay out here, or you don't get to see me take this off tonight. Maybe I'll even make you sleep in the elevator shaft instead of my bed." That shut them up. I gave them a smirk before turning back to Laddie. He grinned and pulled me into the shop, immediately bounding over to the Superman section.

I kept my eyes on the boys behind the register. They hadn't noticed us yet, but I knew we didn't have long. Laddie talked animatedly to Star about all Superman could do while I watched the people around the shop. There weren't very many, but there was a group of four children sitting around an arcade machine, and there were two adults debating over comics.

"What did I tell you about coming into our shop," I heard a familiar voice question. Luckily, Laddie hadn't heard, but Star sent me a worried look. I sent her a quick nod, a silent signal that I would take care of it. Star led Laddie a little farther away, pointing out a different rack of comics.

I turned to the boys and crossed my arms. "Oh, I'm sorry. You must not have heard me when I said I didn't know what you were talking about nor did I care." The tan boy was about to speak when I cut him off. "Listen. You see that little boy over there?" They looked, their stances dropping for a second before picking up again. "He's a nine-year-old _human_ boy looking to buy some more Superman comics because it's his favorite thing to read. I don't care what or who you think we are, but you've already made him cry once. I would think twice about crossing him when I'm here along with the four boys waiting outside at my beck-and-call."

The boys froze at that and looked at each other. They crossed their arms in sync before sighing. "You're allowed to come in here twice a month as long as the boys don't come in. Only you, her, and the kid."

I nodded. "That's all I'm asking."

The one with a bandana tied around his forehead grinded his teeth together while the tan one nodded.

"We'll be out in ten minutes or less," I stated quietly and walked back over to Star who had heard of everything. She sent me a thankful smile, and I looked to see Laddie holding at least thirty comics in his small hands. "Find what you want, little dude?"

Laddie nodded happily, and I smiled and led him to the counter. He placed them on, and the tan one read off the total, his expression hard, though Laddie didn't seem to notice. He was too busy staring at the comics. I handed the boy the money with ten dollars extra for letting us stay. Star took the comics, and Laddie was walking to the exit, calling out a 'thank you, misters,' over his shoulder. The tan one deflated at that, giving him a small smile only for the bandana one to hit him across the back of the head.

We met the boys outside, and I was immediately in Dwayne's arms, my head on his chest. I slowly wrapped my arms around him, and he let out a quiet sigh. "Had us worried for a second, but you handled that really well." I smiled against him and nodded.

I pulled away from the hug and watched Laddie ramble to Paul about the comics and the superheroes in them. I could tell Paul wasn't really listening, but he nodded every now and then and mumbled a "cool" so Laddie would think he was.

"Hey, Laddie," I called out. His head snapped to me. "Wanna go home, little dude?"

Laddie nodded, and I watched as he was lifted onto Paul's shoulders and carried to the bikes. We all followed, and Dwayne kept his arm around me. Star was talking quietly to Marko about something I didn't care to listen to, and David was watching the people around us only to fall back and wrap his arm around my shoulders.

I rode on Dwayne's bike on the way back, and once we arrived, Laddie listened to two of his favorite songs before passing out on the couch. Star carried him to his bed and bid us goodnight in the process. I smiled and wished her sweet dreams.

Then, I was in my bedroom surrounded by my boys. I was barely in the door before I was pushed onto the bed. Everything moved fast, and then, David was kissing me roughly, Marko and Paul were attacking my neck, and Dwayne was making his way up my thighs at a treacherous pace. I was a whimpering mess beneath them. I groaned into David's mouth as Dwayne nibbled at the skin of my inner thigh. He was oh-so-close to where I wanted him but not quite there.

I felt Paul and Marko move in sync, their hands trailing down to my breasts, cupping them and running their fingers over the clothed skin. David moved next, and I felt place his hand on the bottom of my skin. Something sharp pressed against me and punctured the flimsy fabric of my costume. David moved his hand up slowly, slicing the outfit right down the middle. I shivered at the cold air touching my now exposed skin, but the boys seemed to enjoy the view.

Marko and Paul moved to kiss the new flesh, and soon, they each had a nipple in their mouth, sucking and licking softly. I mewled at the action and whined a bit as Dwayne's breath fanned over my core. I cried out as he licked a broad stripe up my clothed heat.

David pulled away slowly, taking in my flustered expression. My face felt red, and I knew my lips were puffy from him. My face was contorted in pleasure, and David let out a soft groan at the sight of me. "God, you don't understand how absolutely extraordinary you look like this, sweetheart. Those moans are only for us, right?" I nodded quickly, blinking quickly as Dwayne sucked the skin of my inner thigh again. "Words, baby."

"Only for you guys. Only for you," I gasped out, my hands grabbing at Paul and Marko's hair as they tugged on my nipples teasingly.

David smirked and kissed me again softly. "Want to let Dwayne give you your release, baby?"

"Please, David, please," I cried out.

"Well, since you asked so nicely." I gasped again as Dwayne's nail cut the remaining fabric covering my heat. "I feel that we should only help out." My back arched as Dwayne licked a bold stripe through my folds. He winked at me as I met his eyes, and I could only groan at the sight of him. Paul and Marko had taken to making it a game of who could put more marks on me, and David was carding through my hair, bending to press kisses to my face every now and then. I could barely focus with everything going on.

I knew I wouldn't last long. My release was building fast, and my legs were shaking as they wrapped around Dwayne's head, tugging him closer as I grinded against his face. My body was burning everywhere they touched me. Eight hands were everywhere, grabbing everything.

I let out a shuddering moan and closed my eyes as I came on Dwayne's tongue as he plunged it inside me, his nose pressing against my clit harshly. Slowly, one boy left after another until only David was left. He slowly brought me back to reality from my haze. He whispered sweet nothings in my ears, and I turned my head a bit to see Dwayne running a warm washcloth over me to make sure I was clean from any cum.

It took me a few moments of breathing properly to be able to sit up properly and look around. I was utterly tired. I groaned as I stared down at my chest. The amount of hickies I could visibly see was alarming, and I wondered how many I _couldn't_ see. There were small bruises growing from where Dwayne held my thighs as he ate me out, and I questioned how tight he was holding me. I had barely felt it.

I raised myself from the bed and stumbled over to the dresser so I could slip on some underwear so I could sleep properly. The boys watched me from various positions on the bed. David was sitting against the headboard, and Dwayne was laying down on his side. Paul was laid on his back, and Marko was curled up on him with his head tilted so he could watch me.

I tugged off the remainder of my clothing and slid on panties with red lace in the pattern of flowers and a simple black bra. I huffed and fell onto the bed, collapsing in between David's legs. He shifted so he was laying down as well, and I sprawled out across his chest. I faintly recognized Dwayne scooting over a bit and taking one of my hands, holding it to his face, and Marko took my other hand, rubbing it softly with his thumb.

"Goodnight, boys. I love you."

"Goodnight. I love you, too," they each responded, and I fell into a dreamless sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

I awoke to the feeling of lips right behind my ear. I was sandwiched between two people, and as I slowly opened my eyes, I realized it was Dwayne and David. Dwayne was behind me, and his lips were dragging at the exposed skin right behind my ear. David was sucking on my neck, his teeth dragging along it every time he pulled away.

I moaned lowly and sighed. David grinned against me and pulled up so he was face-to-face with me. "Good morning, beautiful. Well, good night, I should say."

I chuckled a bit, my mind still hazy with sleep. I lifted my hand and pressed it against his face, dragging it to mine softly. He complied and kissed me softly, and I relished in the soft groans he released. "It's quite a good night indeed with you boys here," I stated as I pulled away.

David grinned. "Star and Laddie are out tonight, so what do you want to do?"

I hummed in consideration, feeling Dwayne's hands draw patterns against the bare skin of my waist. "I can think of a few things," I stated and pushed David over. I pulled myself from Dwayne's hold and turned my body so I was straddling David's waist. He raised his eyebrows at the position, and his hands rested on my thighs, tugging me forward just a bit.

"And what would that be, princess?"

I grinned and rolled my hips softly, watching him let out a small groan. "This." I grinded into him softly, feeling him grow hard under me. He groaned, and his hands tightened just enough. I reached back and unclipped my bra, throwing it across the room. A chorus of groans rang out through the room.

"How far are you willing to go, baby," he questioned, watching me with hooded eyes.

I gave him a soft smirk and leaned forward so I was closer. "All the way, David."

David let out a soft growl and pulled me tighter to him. "Are you sure you're ready?"

I hummed and nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready. Let me give myself to you guys." I kissed him softly. "Completely."

David pulled me to kiss him once again, and he leaned up and flipped us so I was below him. I could feel the other boys' eyes on me, but it didn't matter to me. I felt Dwayne grab my hand again and softly trace along it, bringing my knuckles up to his mouth every few moments so he could kiss them.

David sat in between my legs, and he rolled his hips forward to meet mine. I groaned at the feeling of being so close to him. Only his boxers and my panties separated us, but even that was too much. My body was slowly heating up as his hands trailed down my sides and to the top of my underwear. Slowly, teasingly, he dragged them down my legs, moving backward with them. I shivered at the cold air, and David grinned at the action.

He made his way back up, his hands dragging along my thighs and then cupping my heat. I whimpered softly and grabbed his arm. He leaned forward and kissed me again, his fingers dragging along my folds, collecting the juice that was slowly gathering. His lips barely distracted me as he pressed two fingers against my entrance and pushed in. I shuddered and pulled away, my hands grabbing at his back. I heard a soft 'fucking hell' from one of the boys, but I was focused on the feeling of David pushing in and out of me, a steady rhythm that had me moaning loudly.

David watched me with what I can only make out to be awe and pride on his face. I could feel my release building higher and higher only for David to pull back when I was teetering on the edge of my release. I let out a loud whine and looked up at him with dazed eyes.

David sent me a teasing smirk, and I watched as he discarded his boxers and slowly lined up with my entrance. He pressed against me and pushed in slowly, almost hesitantly. I groaned at the feeling, and my head fell back. He filled me easily, and it hurt more than I thought it would. I was no longer a virgin.

I let a tear fall down my cheek, and David stopped immediately, his hands cupping my face. He brushed his thumb over my cheek, wiping away the tear. "I'm sorry," he mumbled quietly.

I took a deep breath and smiled a bit. "Keep going."

He seemed to take a moment to think about before he finally moved forward, his hips meeting mine as he filled me completely. I took a moment to adjust to his size, letting out a quiet moan. "C'mon, baby," I mumbled. David nodded and began slowly rocking his hips back and forth. I let out a quiet sigh and wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing him down to kiss me. He kissed me back eagerly but slow like his thrusts.

I experimentally flexed around him, and he let out a soft growl. My release was so close, but I needed more. "David," I whined, "more, baby."

David snapped his hips into mine harshly, and I let out a loud moan. "Just like that," I cried out as he fucked me harder. He pulled my hips up a bit so he could go deeper. My eyes were fluttering open and close, and I could only think about his harsh breaths and small growls along with the quiet moans from the boys around me. I focused on his hands that gripped my waist tightly and the sensation of his skin slapping against mine. I focused on the gold bleeding into his bright blue eyes. His fangs were out, but the rest of his face wasn't transformed, and I moaned loudly at the sight. I could feel my face doing the same.

David let out a deep growl as he pulsed inside me, and I came with a shriek, my back arching and neck falling back. David let out another growl, and I felt him bend down and slide his fangs into my neck. The sensation was oddly pleasurable, and I cried out as he came inside me, his fangs buried deep into me as was his cock. I let out short breaths, trying not to disturb the boy who wasn't drinking from me, just biting as he groaned quietly. He pulled away and out, and I gave him a soft smile, my eyes half-lidded from my high.

David kissed me softly before moving out of the way. He pulled his underwear back on, and I felt Dwayne grab my hand and pull me over to him. I straddled him as I had with David in the beginning. I giggled as I looked down at Dwayne. His pupils were blown wide, and his hands wouldn't stop moving over my hips. I bit my lip and bent down to kiss him, pulling his lip with my teeth as I moved away.

"Do you want me, my warrior," I questioned as I rolled my hips against his.

Dwayne moaned quietly and nodded. "I want all of you, princess."

I gave him a teasing grin and fiddled with the top of his boxers. I dragged them down his legs and dropped them on the ground before crawling over to him. "How do you want me," I questioned as I stood on my knees over him.

"Ride me, princess."

I grinned and stuck my tongue between my teeth as I stared at his cock. It was longer than David's by a bit, but it wasn't as thick. This was going to be good. I hummed and nodded, grabbing his member and lining it with my entrance. He groaned as I pressed him against my heat. He watched me, and his hands raised and cupped my breasts softly.

I sank onto him carefully, adjusting as I did so. Once he was in completely, I took a deep breath and placed my hands on his chest, pushing as I lifted myself only to drop back down. Dwayne's hands tightened and loosed with my movements, and his face contorted into a beautiful array of pleasure. His breaths came out in pants, and he kept licking his lips as he stared up at me.

I paused for a second and rolled my hips slowly as I bent down to press his lips to mine. He let out a soft groan, and one of his hands went up to grasp the back of my head and pulled me closer to him. I giggled loudly as his teeth clashed against mine. His calm aura was slowly slipping into a more predatory one as he chased his release and pushed me to mine. His hands fumbled everywhere as if trying to memorize the feeling of my skin as if he would never feel it again, and when I looked into his eyes, I noticed that his pupils were so wide, I could barely see the soft brown that normally showed.

I pushed myself back up and began riding him again, but this time, it was faster, and I knew neither of us would last long, but the look on his face was something I would remember forever. I felt his hands move and grab my ass, helping me move faster, and I let out a soft whine as I felt the knot in my stomach tightening.

Dwayne took one of my hands and held my wrist to his mouth, staring at me intently. "Cum on me, baby," he whispered, and I complied as he sank his teeth into my wrists. The feeling sent a jolt of pleasure through me, and I let out a loud cry as I continued moving, my movements now more sporadic at the sensitivity. Dwayne let out a quiet groan and bit me harder as he came a few moments later. His eyes fluttered shut, and his hips jerked to meet mine a few times before he fell against the bed.

I grinned at him and pulled off. I moved forward and kissed him softly. He returned the gesture and ran a hand through my hair. "You're so damn beautiful, princess."

I giggled a bit. "Thank you."

Then, I was being pulled off Dwayne and into two sets of arms, standing on my knees as they were. I raised an eyebrow as I met Marko's eye. He gave me his signature grin and leaned forward to kiss me harshly. "You look like you're enjoying yourself," Marko stated, laughing a bit at the end.

"You have no idea, babe," I stated simply. I could feel Paul's fingers move down and press against my clit experimentally. I let out a soft moan at the action as shocks ran through my body.

Paul let out a soft chuckle, and his lips brushed behind my ear. "Well, I hope we're about to find out." He then kissed my neck softly, and I shook my head at the thought of how many bruises were already littering my pale skin.

"And what do you two plan on doing," I questioned. I tilted my head just a bit at the smell of smoke, and I was met with the sight of David and Dwayne sitting side by side in boxers, passing a cigarette back and forth. I sent a stupid grin to which they responded with soft chuckles, and David winked.

Marko let out a soft hum and dragged his teeth against my jaw before pulling up to kiss my lips. "Well," he mumbled as he pulled away, "I believe I'm going to take your tight, little pussy," I let out a soft moan at his words and as Paul pressed harder against my clit, rolling it between his fingers expertly. "And Paul over there is going to take your ass." I raised my eyebrows, confused yet still aroused, when I felt Paul press his fingers against my hole. His fingers were covered in cum, so it helped quite a bit as he slipped a finger inside me. I gasped, and my hands moved to grip Marko's shoulders. Marko chuckled and kissed my cheek. "Just relax, Angel. We've done this plenty of times before."

I nodded slowly and leaned into him a bit as Paul began fingering me, stretching out the new area. Marko's fingers moved to replace what Paul was originally doing, and I fell forward, leaning my head against Marko's shoulder as a silent moan sat on my lips.

They seemed to move at the same time, both working with each other easily. My body felt like it was on fire. Marko pressed his lips against the side of my head and used his free hand to lift my face from his shoulder, so he could kiss me. Then, my head was turned, and Paul took over my mouth. Marko grabbed my breasts and flicked my nipple, making me shriek out a moan.

I felt Paul slip in a second finger and stretch me out more. Marko slipped a finger inside my pussy as his thumb flicked against my clit. I felt myself growing higher and higher, and then they pulled away at the same time. I cried out at the loss of contact, but Marko shushed me by pressing his lips against mine harshly. I felt the two move to discard their underwear, and they moved to press into me. Marko slipped into me first, moaning into the kiss and sending vibrations through my mouth. He paused, and I felt Marko move next and pushed into me. I cried out at the feeling of being so full, and sparks of pleasure shot through me at the actions. The both moved to create a steady rhythm where while one pushed in, the other pulled out.

I felt like I was on cloud nine as the two worked my body in strange ways. Their hands never stopped as Marko moved to grasp my breasts and Paul pressed his fingers against my clit. Their lips marked my skin wherever they could reach, only pulling back so they could kiss my lips or each other over my shoulder. I managed to put a few marks on Marko, but I was focused on the feelings they were giving me.

Soon, my release built until I came on them. Marko let out a feral growl, and he sank his teeth into my left shoulder while Paul did the same to my right a few moments after. I let out a high-pitched scream as they came inside me, both rocking into me as my high overtook my senses. I couldn't see properly as tears filled my vision and sparks flew throughout my body.

I barely made out the feeling of them gently laying me on the bed, and I heard someone leave the room. Reality came back to me slowly, and when I was back, I made out that my back was leaned against David's front. Paul and Marko were on either side of me, and I could feel Paul's hands sliding up and down my torso. Marko was biting his nails as he watched me come back. I sent him a lazy smile. Dwayne was in front of me, and he dragging a wet towel over me to clean me off enough for the time being. I hummed quietly and thanked Dwayne with a raspy voice. I was tired.

David ran a hand through my hair and kiss my head softly. I responded with a soft smile, leaning more into him as Dwayne threw the rag across the room. He pulled himself up and laid his head on my stomach, grinning as I began messing with his hair.

"You guys know I love you, right?"

I felt them each chuckle a bit, and I watched as they nodded their heads. "Yes, and you know we love you, right?"

"I sure hope so," I mumbled, and the boys cracked up again. "I don't know what life was before you, and I hope there's not going to be an after."

"We'll make sure of that, baby," Marko stated, and he lazily leaned up to kiss my cheek. I smiled again and nodded.

"I'm so in love," I sang out and giggled a bit. "Can I go to sleep now? I know we haven't been up long, but that took a lot out of me."

"Of course," David mused in my ear. "We should all be here when you wake up, though we do have to go out and eat. We'll go one-by-one, though."

I nodded lazily and told Dwayne to sit up for a second. I rolled over and laid on my stomach on David. "Okay. Goodnight." I felt Dwayne readjust himself so he was laying on my back his arms wrapped around my thighs. "I love you guys."

"I love you, too," they each mumbled, and I fell into a dreamless sleep.


	17. Chapter 17

**xviii.**

Things fell into an easy rhythm again after that, but things were getting harder for Star and I. Another two months had passed with winter rolling in. The cave was incredibly cold, and the boys had taken to buying heaters for us half-vampires much to Marko's annoyance. He complained that we could just turn full and the problem would be solved, but Star was still wary about it. I could tell she was getting more used to the idea, though.

It had been revealed to me that her mother had been killed by someone. Nobody knew who, but Laddie and Star were now on missing posters around the boardwalk after their grandparents found out. The police weren't investigating that much seeing as how they were most likely dead, but they had to be a bit more careful.

Laddie had grown more onto the boys, and he was often found with Paul or Dwayne. He explained that David was too scary for him, and Marko was always with birds. Laddie didn't like birds.

Rain had started sleeping in our room on the floor. I set up a small area after he started walking in after us. I didn't mind, but the boys complained about the smell. I rolled my eyes and playfully hit them, knowing they would let him sleep in there if I asked. Plus, they got a reward the next night for it when Star took Rain and Laddie out to the boardwalk.

Laddie had complained about not being able to lay with him anymore, but I told him he would get to hang out with him during the night, so it shouldn't matter that much.

The only thing wrong recently was the growing stomach cramps. Of course, I had had them for a bit, but they were getting worse and worse. The boys had taken to letting me drink from them when it got bad, but Star didn't have that advantage. There were many nights where she couldn't even get out of bed from how much it hurt.

Those were nights where I would lay with her and send the boys out with Laddie. Those were nights where we would talk about anything and everything to the point where I practically knew everything about her from the simple things like her favorite color to old childhood memories and aspirations. Some nights, we would just lay there, though, and we'd listen to music that played quietly out of the record player or boombox.

This night was a good night, though. The boys and I had decided to have an off day and just get drunk and high off our asses. Star and Laddie were laying by their beds, and I could hear Laddie explaining his comic books to her. Star had stated that she hadn't wanted to join in and that she would take care of Laddie. I had given her a small smile and hug and let her go on her way.

Marko had disappeared only to come back with a large bag of weed and cases of different kinds of alcohol. He handed me the ones we shared, the fruity kinds that didn't burn as much yet still got the job done. Dwayne shared a bottle of whiskey with David, and Paul clutched a bottle of vodka close to him.

I was currently laying on the fountain with a joint in between my lips and three bottles of alcohol beside me. My eyes were bloodshot and hurting, and I could hear Paul talking animatedly to Marko who was currently drawing David who didn't know.

I made out the sound of someone's boots clunking against the ground, and soon, I was met with the sight of Dwayne standing over me, a lazy smile on his face. He dropped to sit on the ground beside me, and I immediately grabbed a few strands, rolling it through my fingers, thinking about how he needed a trim for his dead ends.

I took a long drag from my blunt before dropping it, knowing it was completely through. I blew out the smoke and lifted myself from the fountain, so I could move and drop into Dwayne's lap, facing him. The silly smile stayed on his face, and it made me smile back. The song changed from 'Without Love' to 'I'd Die For You.' Dwayne's hands slid up my top, pressing his cold hands against my sides as he leaned forward to kiss me. I hummed and placed my hands on his chest, kissing him back languidly. Our movements were slow and sloppy, and I felt peaceful.

I giggled and pulled away as Paul began shouting the lyrics to the song, and I looked behind me to see him dragging Marko up to dance with him. Marko shrieked, and his pencil and paper clattered to the floor. "In a world that don't know Romeo and Juliet. Boy meets girl and promises we can't forget. We are cast from Eden's gate with no regrets. Into the fire we cry!" He yelled the lyrics and made Marko jump with him, laughing when Marko complied a few seconds later. The song was one of his favorites, after all.

David eyed them before his eyes met mine. I sent him a lazy grin, and he smirked, motioning for me to go to him. I nodded and turned back to Dwayne, pecking his lips softly before lifting from his lap. My stance was wobbly, and I giggled as I almost fell over.

I stumbled over to David and fell into his lap, laughing as he pulled me close to him. "Enjoying yourself, sweetheart?"

I nodded and leaned by head onto his shoulder. "I haven't been this out of it in a while," I stated, my words slurring just a bit. "It's great." David chuckled and pressed his lips against the side of my head. "Why aren't you guys all that drunk," I questioned softly and pressed my lips against his throat, smelling him. His scent was a mix of leather from his jacket, the wood from the forest, and a bit of vanilla from the blood he drank the night before. I nipped at his neck lightly, and he chuckled.

"We don't really get drunk. We get a buzz, but it takes a lot to get us as drunk as you are."

I whined quietly and huffed. "That's not fair," I mumbled.

"It is quite funny seeing you in this state, though," David said quietly, laughing as I bit his neck again.

I chuckled as Paul began screaming lyrics out again, singing the chorus as loud as he could. "Hey, David," I questioned, pressing my hand against his chest and pulling back to meet his eyes. "Would you die for me?"

David smiled a bit and nodded. "Is that even a question? I'm pretty sure all of us would die for you if it meant you would at least have a chance of being safe." I nodded at that and closed my eyes for a second, just listening to Marko's giggles. David curled one of his hands around my waist, and I opened my eyes to look into his. "Would you die for us?"

"Yeah," I said easily, moving my eyes away from David and to a wall. "I think I'd die for you without even thinking about it, but I also think that I'd live for you guys. Like, it's easy saying you'd lay down your life for someone because death is inevitable in every sense of the word, but living is hard. Living is something that hurts a lot more than death because death is over after a while, but living just keeps going and going and going. Death is painful, but then you feel nothing. When you're living, it never stops, and you're dealing with a completely different kind of pain that hurts so much more." I paused for a second, losing my train of thought. "What was I saying? Oh, yeah. Living sucks. Sometimes I think that I'd like to die, but then I think of you guys, and I guess you guys just make life worth living." I met David's eyes again, and he gave me a reassuring grin.

"You sure are something else, Evangeline," he mused and pressed his lips against mine. My eyes fluttered shut, and I relaxed into him, falling into his hold as my eyes shut completely and sleep overtook me.

The next night, I woke up before the others, surprisingly. I was laid in the middle of the bed in between Paul and Marko. Dwayne was sleeping next to David with the older boy in his arms. I wanted to chuckle at the scene, but I had to stay quiet. I pulled myself from Paul and Marko's grasp slowly, trying to make sure they wouldn't wake up. I grabbed one of their shirts from the ground, a black t-shirt that I assumed was David's and pulled it on, ignoring my need for pants.

I slipped out of the bed and stood next to Rain who looked up at me with a soft whine. I shushed him and watched as he lifted himself and followed me out of the bedroom quietly. I walked down the halls almost silently, my hand against the wall as I navigated my way out of the pitch-black place. I could make out a bit of sunlight, though it wasn't much, so I assumed the sun was setting, and I frowned, questioning why I was up.

The answer was made clear when I entered the cave to see Laddie standing near one of the couches with wide eyes, his eyes were wide, and I followed his gaze to see the jeweled bottle of blood on the ground with most of its contents spilled out. Thankfully, it wasn't cracked or shattered, but Laddie sent me a terrified look when he saw me walking in.

I stepped forward, and he pulled his arms over his face. "Please don't hurt me," he cried out, and I stopped walking, my eyes widening at the words.

"What," I questioned, my voice wavering. "Why would I do that?"

Laddie uncovered his face, and I could see tears in his eyes. "When dad used to get mad, he would hit me. Please don't tell Star, though! He said he'd hurt her if I told!"

I quietly dropped to my knees and held my arms out for the boy. He seemed to think for a second before he ran forward and crashed into me, his arms wrapping around my neck. "Laddie, we're never going to hurt you, okay? You don't deserve that, and I'll make sure you're always safe." Laddie nodded against my neck, and I felt tears hit my shoulder.

"Eva, can you be my new mom?" I smiled a bit and kissed the side of his head.

"If that's what you want, Laddie. I promise to protect you."

Laddie sniffled and nodded. "Does that mean I can call you mom?"

"Whatever you want, baby." I moved into a sitting position, and Laddie sat in my lap, his head on my shoulder as I rubbed his back. "Now, can you tell me what you were doing?" Laddie stiffened, and I sighed softly. "Come on. Just tell me the truth, and I'll try to make sure you won't get in trouble."

Laddie gulped, and his small hands tightened around my neck. "I drank some of it." I stiffened noticeably, and my arms tightened a bit. Laddie whimpered loudly, and I felt him start crying again. "I'm sorry! I just watched you and Star drink it, and I wanted to do it, too! I didn't mean to be bad! I'm sorry!"

I clutched Laddie tighter to me and rubbed his back, trying to think properly. When did he see us drink? Why did David have it in sight of the boy or in his reach? How could we have been so dumb? "You're not in trouble, Laddie. You didn't know what you were doing."

Laddie sniffled and nodded. I looked over to see the sun almost set. Laddie quieted his cries to only sniffles, and I listened as I heard the boys bumbling down the hall, though they all stopped when they saw me. Dwayne was immediately looking over the two of us for injuries, Paul was looking around the room for danger, Marko was staring at me with a questioning look, and David was staring directly at the spilled bottle. David moved first, walking over to me in a few easy steps and dropping down to a crouch beside me. Laddie immediately squirmed and pushed himself more toward me, and I held him tighter.

"What happened," David questioned, his voice quiet but firm.

I paused for a second and rubbed my hand up and down Laddie's back as the young boy shuddered. "He drank from the bottle." David stiffened like I had, and he stared down at the boy with no emotion. I slowly lifted myself before he could speak, and I stepped over to Dwayne, handing Laddie over. Laddie clung to Dwayne and widened his eyes, looking over to me. "Gimme a second."

"Okay, mom," he mumbled. The boys snapped their eyes to him and then me at the statement, but I ignored them and moved back to David, grabbing his hand and leading him up the slippery stairs of the cave.

David helped me up the stairs, and I led him to where I had planted a few flowers though they weren't growing due to the cold water. David stared at me as I ran my hand through my hair, gripping my head tightly. "David, what the fuck," I stated simply, staring at him. "What the absolute _fuck_!" David raised his eyebrows and I let out a cry, tears gathering in my eyes. He looked like he didn't know what to do. "He's just a fucking kid. He doesn't deserve to be a vampire. I mean, maybe when he was older, but he's ten years old, goddammit!"

"Hey," David said in a hushed tone, and he pulled me into his chest. "Take a breath. It's going to be okay. Just tell me what happened."

I grabbed his back and held him to me. "I woke up before you guys, obviously, and I walked out to see Laddie staring at the spilled bottle. He said he wanted to try it because Star and I drank it. He was so terrified to see me, said he used to get hit. Jesus Christ, David. What has that kid been through? Now, he's gonna be a vampire!" My words were as jumbled as my thoughts, and I was surprised I could say anything coherently.

I shook my head, and David shushed me quietly. "It's okay. We're going to figure it out. Maybe we can just keep him half until he's old enough. We'll figure something out. I promise."

I nodded, and relaxed into his hold, trying not to cry. David held me tightly for a few minutes, just the two of us standing there in the moonlight, when we decided to go back in. "You can tell the boys, but I'm going to have to tell Star." David looked like he wanted to protest, but I gave him a look that made him stay quiet.

We reentered the cave, and I silently took in how everyone was sitting. Dwayne was sitting on one of the chairs with a book in his hands, though he immediately looked up when he heard us enter. I sent him a small smile and nod to let him know that everything was okay. Paul and Marko were on the other couch, heavily making out as soft music played beside them. Laddie was sitting near Dwayne, but he immediately jumped and launched himself onto me when he saw me enter. I chuckled a bit and picked him up, letting him wrap his arms around me.

David let go of my hand and made his way over to the boys, and I walked over to where Star was sitting on the bed. She had a few sheets of paper in front of her that I recognized as sheet music and lyrics. I raised an eyebrow as she took notice of me and immediately bunched them together and placed them on the ground.

She patted the spot next to her, and I let Laddie climb on before I followed. "I have some news."

Star looked at me, her face laced with worry. "What happened?"

"Laddie drank from the bottle."

Her face quickly went through a variety of emotions. Anger, confusion, and worry were the most prominent ones. "What?" That was the only word she let out, and I bit my lip, explaining the story to her. Her eyes slowly filled with tears as did mine when I saw the look on her face.

Star leaped forward and wrapped her arms around me, crying into my shoulder. "No, no, no, no," she cried out, clutching me tightly. Sobs racked her body, and I let a few tears slip. Laddie looked at us from the end of the bed, and his lip jutted out in a pout at our tears. I held her to me and comforted her, listening to the boys' hushed whispers on what we should do. "No, he can't be one, too. He's just a kid, Eva!"

"I know," I murmured. "I know. David said we'll figure something out."

"And what if we don't?"

I froze at her words and ran my hands through her hair. "Then, we're going to have to deal with a tiny vampire."

Star shook her head and sobbed louder. I winced at the sound and shushed her quietly. "It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay." I repeated the phrase over and over until she had quieted down to almost nothing. I let out a quiet sigh of relief and pulled her away from me. "Now, go get ready. We're going to head to the boardwalk to talk to someone David knows. You can take Laddie around on some of the rides to clear your minds, okay? We'll figure something out."

She nodded slowly, and I gave her a small smile, lifting myself from the bed. Laddie jumped down as well and moved to his area where he stored all his clothes, though he didn't have many. I walked over to where the boys were and wrapped my arms around Paul from behind, placing my head on his back. Paul took one of my hands in his, and I let a small smile slip.

David was talking quietly to Dwayne, but I could tell the conversation was coming to an end, and they were prepared to leave soon. I pulled away from Paul but still held his hand, dragging him behind me and further into the cave. I pulled him into our bedroom, and I took note of the fact that we seriously needed more candles.

Paul sat down on the bed, and I quickly went through my clothes. I picked up a black mid-thigh skirt and slid it up my legs followed by red thigh-high socks. I pulled off David's shirt and replaced it with a plain red tank top, and I shoved my feet into black boots. I brushed through my hair gingerly and threw it around to give it a bit more volume and finished with a bunch of rings and bracelets.

I huffed and walked over to Paul, maneuvering so I could sit in his lap, my legs wrapped around his waist. He chuckled a bit and stood up with me still wrapped around him and brought us to the main part of the cave where everyone was waiting. I sent Star a reassuring smile, and then, we were off, up the stairs, onto the bikes, and speeding down to the boardwalk.

I stood in Video Max's with a small smile on my face as I browsed through the many different titles. Marko was behind me, his hands on my waist and his face pressed against my neck as I looked around. He'd press small kisses to my neck at points, and I knew it was a distraction from the fact that David was in Max's office talking about Laddie, but I enjoyed the thought.

Paul was chatting the ear off of Dwayne across the store who was watching one of the TVs with mild interest. Paul was talking about a movie he had seen about twenty years ago that was about aliens taking over the earth and eating everyone. It was strange, to say the least.

Marko pressed his lips against my neck, and I hummed softly, grabbing a movie called 'The Breakfast Club.' Marko nipped at my neck lightly, and I could feel his fangs coming out. "Marko," I chided, reading over the cover of the movie. "We're in public."

Marko huffed quietly and pulled away from my neck only to move near my ear. "Nobody's going to see."

I rolled my eyes and turned so I could capture his lips in a short kiss. "Not right now, baby." Marko huffed again but nodded. He knew to stop when I wanted him to. "Maybe when we get back to the cave." He perked up a bit at that and kissed me again only to pull away as we heard the door to the office open.

I turned to see David stepping out, his hands in his pockets and an angry look on his face. I pulled myself from Marko's hold and walked over to him. He immediately pulled me close to him and began leading me to the exit. The boys followed, and David led us to the bikes. I pulled myself onto the railing of the boardwalk and stared at him as he stood between my legs, facing the boys. I silently ran my hands through his hair where there wasn't hairspray.

"Max isn't sure what to do. He said there isn't a way to reverse it, so we're just going to have to keep him a half-vampire until he's eighteen or close enough to that." The boys nodded, and I let out a quiet huff but nodded as well even though he couldn't see.

"Star's not going to be happy," I grumbled. "And she was finally getting used to everything, but this is going to push her away." I winced as a sharp cramp hit my stomach as a particularly good-smelling woman walked by. I breathed through my mouth and leaned down so my head was on David's.

David rubbed his hand against my knee, trying to comfort me in some way. My attention was brought away by that when Paul spoke up, though. "Hey, so, why did Laddie call you mom earlier?"

"Yeah," Marko chimed in, "what's that about?"

I shrugged my shoulder and lifted myself a bit so I could look at them. "He said he wanted me to be his new mom, so I said yes." Dwayne smiled at that, and the other two raised their eyebrows. "I mean, I don't see the harm in it. I've always wanted a kid." I looked out into the crowd, thinking of all the times I dreamed of either having kids or adopting them.

"I didn't know that," David stated, a smile evident in his voice.

"Well, now you do."

The boys laughed, and David pulled away from me. I huffed as he helped me down onto the ground. "Come on, let's go find Star and Laddie."


	18. Chapter 18

**xviii.**

Laddie had been a half-vampire for about a month, and things were fine. The boy seemed to have an incredible amount of self-control for being so young, and he didn't seem to get the hunger cramps like we did. Instead, he really didn't seem to even notice the changes. There had only been one accident in which someone had slipped and cut themselves on their own knife. The boys had to pull back Laddie and I both from attacking, and I had cried a few moments after.

I was so weak. Even being out at night was slowly becoming harder. When the boys were with me, though, I felt fine. It was only when I wasn't with one of them. Star had grown to hate herself, and she was often spotted moping around the cave. Anytime I tried to help her, she brushed me off and ignored me, and it hurt. I tried to help her so much, but she wanted nothing to do with me. I knew to let her be for a while as she was going through denial of sorts, but it still made me feel worse to see her curled up in bed.

Tonight, we had left her to lay in her bed and read her book. I promised to bring her back some food, and she gave me a tight-lipped smile as acknowledgment. Laddie was dragging me through the crowds of the boardwalk, pulling me to the comic store. The boys were behind me by just a bit.

Laddie let out an excited laugh once he saw the large sign that read 'Frog Comics' and tugged me harder. "Come on, mom," he cried out excitedly.

I giggled and let him drag me into the shop, sending the boys a quick smile over my shoulder as they paused near the entrance, not too close but not too far. We had stuck to our deal, and the boys knew not to come in or they would upset both Laddie and me.

I looked around the store as Laddie let go of me and ran toward his favorite section of the store. I smiled as he sifted through a large box of Superman comics.

"So, you a full vampire yet, or?" I froze at the voice, and I turned to meet the eyes of the tan brother I knew as Alan. I relaxed a bit and quirked an eyebrow, trying to play the question off.

"You know, every time we walk in here, you guys ask me something like that, but you never answer my question. What the hell are you talking about?"

Alan rolled his eyes, and I picked up a comic to look at as if I was interested. I quickly placed it down, though, and began walking around the shop, listening to him walk behind me. "We both know what I'm talking about, bloodsucker."

"If I'm a vampire, then why don't you guys just stake me while I'm in here," I questioned.

"Simple. We may be hunters, but we're not strong enough to go after four other vampires at once."

I rolled my eyes and huffed. "You guys have to be smoking something if you _actually_ think vampires are real."

"Oh, we know they are," he stated cockily, and I watched him cross his arms. "Vampire. Werewolves. Maybe aliens. What do you think the mayor is?"

"I don't know. A normal human." I drawled the statement out and made my way to Laddie who had a nice stack beside him. "Hey, buddy. Think you got enough, or do you need more time to look around?"

Laddie grinned up at me and shook his head, holding out the books to me. "No, mom! I think this is good!"

I smiled and helped him stand up properly, watching as he mumbled over to the counter where the other Frog brother stood. "He's your _kid_ ," Alan questioned, his voice going up an octave.

"No, dipshit," I stated. "Well, not biologically. He just calls me it because I'm better than what he had before."

Alan took a deep breath and nodded. "Sorry. You're just like really young, and he's like ten, y'know."

I shook my head and walked over to Laddie who was handing over the money I had given to him beforehand. He yelled out a 'thanks, mister' before running out the door and straight to Paul who grinned down at him. I stopped beside the counter and stuffed my hands in the pockets of my leather jacket. I huffed and stared at the brothers. "Thank you again for letting us come in. I know you guys think we're vampires or whatever, but it's nice that you let Laddie run around. I'm glad to know that you're not _that_ shitty." I paused. "Besides, if anyone were vampires, I think the surf nazis would be a better candidate," I mused.

Edgar's eyes widened, and he turned to Alan. The two looked like they had never even considered the idea. I chuckled and waved at them, making my way out the store. Before I could make it to my boys, though, I was tackled into a hug. I let out a shriek and almost fell over. I heard the boys growl lowly, and I turned my head to see a head of gold hair I hadn't seen in quite a while. "Marigold," I questioned in confusion.

She let out a squeal before pulling away and grabbing something from her purse. I watched as she pulled a box wrapped in green paper. "Happy birthday," she yelled out, and I furrowed my eyebrows before my eyes widened. "I tried to get this to you for Christmas, but I haven't seen you around until now! Thank goodness I did because it's finally your birthday! Oh, you're twenty now, Evangeline! One more year, and you can drink legally!" I stared at her with wide eyes, and she paused to take in my state before she broke out in a fit of giggles. "Did you forget your birthday again? It's January fifteenth, Eva!"

"I think I forgot again," I stated simply, and she laughed loudly. I had forgotten my last three birthdays.

Marigold shoved the box into my hands and motioned for me to open it up. I held it for a second before unwrapping it slowly. I tore the wrapper off to reveal a cardboard box. I dropped the paper on the ground and opened the box, pausing at what was inside. Another box was inside the cardboard box, but this one was wood with lyrics carved into the top. It read, 'There's beauty up above and things you never take notice of. You wake and suddenly you're in love.' It was the lyrics to _our_ song.

I ran my fingers over the carved words and pulled the box out. Marigold took the cardboard box from me and watched as I unlatched it. I pulled it open and looked at the contents, a small smile slipping on my face. There were a few things settled inside, but each meant a lot to me. The first I took notice of was a long necklace with a small silver pendant of a wave on it. Next was a vinyl album of Tusk by Fleetwood Mac, something we used to listen to in her room instead of studying when we were in high school. There was a paperback book that read 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' It was a book I used to always carry with me until it was destroyed after someone spilled a tray of coffee all over it. Last was a large black sweater, one I used to stare at whenever I passed by the shop that sold it. I looked over the items and bit my lip, looking up at her.

Marigold had a sheepish smile on her face, and she clasped her hands together from around the box. "I know that it's not a lot, but I wanted it to be a sort of apology for everything that I've done. I realize that you're truly happy, and I should just be happy for you. You're one of the only true friends I've had for a long time, Evangeline, and I just want to say sorry and happy birthday."

I gave her a large grin, feeling tears gather in my eyes. I closed the box and silently held my arms out for her. She dropped her box on the boardwalk and stepped into my arms, and I hugged her tightly, ignoring the growls from the boys. "Thank you," I stated quietly. "This means a lot." Marigold smiled against me, and I pulled away, wiping at my eyes. "I have to go, but I'll be here for the rest of the week if you want to run into us, y'know. I'd like you to be friends with the boys as well."

Marigold's eyes widened, and she pursed her lips as she pulled away. "Do you think they'll like me after what I said?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "They'll at least tolerate you."

Marigold chuckled and nodded. "Then, I'll see you around, Sandy."

I chuckled at the name. "Yeah. Catch ya later."

Marigold walked away, and I was immediately pulled into Marko's arms with Paul behind me if their jackets told me anything. I chuckled softly and relaxed into their hold. "Yeah, yeah," I mumbled against Marko's jacket. "I'm yours and you're mine. I know. I promise we're just friends."

"I know," Marko mumbled. "It's just hard to watch knowing you've done _stuff_ with her."

I chuckled again and kissed his neck. "Well, the only people I'll be doing _stuff_ with now is you four."

"Yeah, you are," Paul cheered and pressed a kiss to my temple.

I pulled myself from their holds and smiled as David moved forward and pressed a kiss against my lips. "It's your birthday?"

I shrugged and chuckled a bit. "I guess so. Didn't even realize the date, to be honest. Time passes by fast when I'm with you guys."

"Well, we need to celebrate," Paul cheered from behind me, and I laughed loudly.

"We don't need to do anything, guys. It's just another year of being alive."

Marko pulled me from David's grasp and yanked me over his shoulder. I let out a loud 'oof,' and he laughed loudly. "Exactly! Another year of your being gracing the world!"

I rolled my eyes and propped myself up, so I could see the others as Marko began walking somewhere. They followed behind and laughed at my disgruntled expression. "Oh, yeah, laugh it up. I hope someone throws you over their shoulder so you'll know my pain." They laughed again in response, and I flopped back down, staring at the back of Marko's jacket. Well, I was staring at the naked lady on it. Of course, he had one. This is Marko.

We walked for a few minutes, and I was placed down on a bench. Laddie climbed up beside me, and Dwayne sat on the other side, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "Stay here, doll. We'll be back in ten minutes."

I huffed and rolled my eyes but nodded. Dwayne chuckled, and I leaned my head against him. Laddie swung his legs back and forth as he looked into the crowd. The boys nodded to themselves and split into three different directions. Dwayne messed with my curls as we sat around, and I watched the people around us. I could hear the whispers clear as day, and it was annoying as hell. "That's one of the lost boys and their girl," they would whisper to their friends. "Their girl?" "Yeah, they all share her or something." That would either be met with the response of "what a whore" or "damn, she's lucky." I sighed and turned my head, pressing my face into Dwayne's neck.

I silently turned and maneuvered myself and Laddie so he was sitting in my lap and my back was pressed against Dwayne's side. Dwayne kissed the top of my head and took one of my hands in his, intertwining our fingers. I smiled at the action.

We sat like that for a good ten to twenty minutes before David and Paul came back. "Marko's flying back to the cave. You can drive his bike," Paul stated simply.

I nodded, and we made our way back to the cave at a steady pace. I jumped down the stairs easily, and I made my way into the cave and laughed loudly as my eyes caught Marko. He was standing in front of everything with his hands out, and I rolled my eyes, taking in all the party decorations. "I literally just said that we didn't have to do this," I stated as I giggled quietly and walked over to him. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me happily.

"Come on, most of us have completely forgotten when our birthdays are, so let's celebrate yours one last time."

I smiled and nodded quietly, and I pulled away from him to look at Star who was sitting up in the bed with a weak smile. I grinned at her and stepped forward, pulling her into a hug. She reciprocated easily, and I leaned down to whisper to her, even though I knew the boys could hear. "Come on, Star. Just let go for a night. Come party with us!" She nodded slowly, and I grinned again, pulling her to her feet. "Paul! Hit the rock box!"

Paul gave an excited nod and bounded over to his stereo, and Laddie ran behind him, asking if he could play Bon Jovi. Star followed me over to the sitting area and watched as I fell onto Dwayne's lap. He grinned at the action and pressed his lips to the side of my face.

Star seemed to hesitate for a moment before she sat next to Marko. He grinned at her and immediately began talking, trying to get her to loosen up. I turned and kissed Dwayne as Bon Jovi's _Slippery When Wet_ filled the cave. Laddie let out an excited yell, and I heard him begin dancing wildly. Someone walked toward Dwayne, and I gasped as I was pulled from him. "Paul," I whined as I faced him. He gave me a wild grin and pulled me over to Laddie so I would dance with them. I rolled my eyes but complied.

I grinned as Star loosened up over the night, and I was even happier when the days following, she seemed to be happier and more accepting. She was finally accepting again. It was slow, but it was happening. I only hoped the new boy named Michael Emerson wouldn't fuck things up.

 **A/N: Hey! My name's Lily. I'm fifteen, I'm the writer, and reviews keep me going! As Christmas/holiday season is coming up, I want you guys to know that if you need someone to talk to, I'm always open. My inbox is always open! I love you guys so much because you guys enjoy reading what I enjoy making!**

 **Also, if you wanna throw some money at me in the name of the holidays, donate to my ko-fi. It's /sarcxstic**

 **Me and my friend want to go thrift shopping and get clothes so we can cosplay as Bill and Ted and Paul and Marko when we go to Universal. (Our band is having a trip to Universal Studios in Orlando, and I'm FLIPPING!) (I play bass guitar, xylophone, and drums in band ;) )**

 **K. Bye. LOVE YOU!**


	19. Chapter 19

**xix.**

Paul let out a soft moan as I sunk my teeth into his shoulder. I felt him shudder in pleasure and grip my ass. Marko was right behind me, his lips pressed against my throat, sucking hickeys into the pale skin. I took long pulls of blood from him. To anyone else, it would look like I was simply kissing his neck. No one could see my fangs buried deep in his veins.

I pulled away from him with a gasp, and Paul immediately pushed his lips onto mine, kissing me forcefully. Marko chuckled from behind me and nipped at my neck, dragging his tongue across the hickeys.

Paul pulled away and chuckled at my flustered state. "You good now, doll?"

I nodded slowly, taking a moment to catch my breath. He grinned, and I felt myself get lifted onto the railing of the boardwalk. I immediately wrapped my arms around Paul's shoulders. He laughed in response and wiggled his way out of my grip only for Marko to replace him. Marko placed his hands on my hips and pulled my face down to kiss me like Paul had.

I felt myself get lost in the contact, and the hunger cramps that were shocking my body had disappeared. Summer had finally approached, but things were getting worse. I didn't know how much longer I would be able to take it before I vamped out and killed someone unintentionally.

I let myself go for quite a few minutes, and we only pulled away completely when David called our names. I looked up with a dazed look, and I could feel that my lips were way puffier than normal. David sent me a devilish smirk, and I gave him a lazy smile. He curled his finger for me to come to him, and I jumped down from the railing on shaky legs.

I sauntered over to him and grinned as he pulled me into his arms. "Enjoying yourself, baby?"

I nodded and hummed, laying my head on his shoulder as I listened to the sound of someone playing the saxophone on stage. Apparently, there was a concert tonight. Paul originally wanted to go, but after I showed how much pain I was in, he instead stayed with me and distracted me. The boys had disappeared for a few moments to terrorize Max, but they returned shortly after, and I had rolled my eyes at their behavior.

David's fingers pressed against the uncovered skin on my back and chuckled as I shivered. "Want to go home?"

I nodded slowly and smiled softly as he tugged a hand through my hair. "When Star gets back, sure."

David nodded back. "Oh, oh," Paul yelled out. I turned to see him raising his hand as if he were in school and knew the answer. I raised my eyebrows. He grinned brightly. "Can you ride on my bike tonight? You rode with David on the way here!"

I chuckled and nodded, and he threw a fist in the air happily. Marko grinned his Cheshire grin and he bit his thumb.

Dwayne stepped over and grinned. He held a box of Chinese food for me, and I thanked him and took it, leaning against the railing as I ate quickly. Paul kept trying to take some of my food, and I kept swatting him away, growling teasingly. I rolled my eyes as he let out a loud whine and pouted.

The boys began climbing on their bikes once I had thrown away my trash as they got ready to leave. I could see Star's hair bobbing in the crowd, and I gingerly climbed onto Paul's bike, chuckling as he grabbed my thigh and squeezed it.

I turned to see Star break through the crowd closely followed by a boy with dark brown hair and a pretty face. Of course, he wasn't as pretty as my boys, but he had something about him. He looked like someone Star would like. Star gave me a small smile and climbed on David's bike with a bit of his help. I looked between the two of them with raised eyebrows. The boy looked like a kicked puppy, almost like how Paul looked the first night I saw him and he saw me with Marigold.

Before I could dwell on the fact for much longer, though, the boys took off down the boardwalk. I gripped Paul lightly, but I let out loud laughs as they moved through everything. They drove through everyone at incredible speeds, and they made their way to our home.

I climbed off the bike, but the boys stayed on. "We're going to go get something to eat, okay? We'll bring you back something," Paul stated before pressing his lips to mine. I nodded and went through the boys, giving them each a peck on the lips. I then grabbed Star and Laddie's hands and pulled them into the cave.

I listened as the boys disappeared into the night before I turned to Star with my arms crossed. "And who is that, young lady?"

Laddie bounded off into the cave, probably going to find something to listen to. Star gave me a weary smile and shifted on her feet. "He's nobody. He's just someone I ran into after the concert. Just wanted to say hi."

I raised my eyebrows and leaned forward a bit, smirking. "You can't lie to me, Star. Come on, what's happening up in that head of yours?"

Star shook her head and gave me a soft smile. "I don't know, Evangeline. I just- when I looked at him, something clicked inside me, but I don't know what."

I hummed softly and pulled her to the couch, sitting the two of us so we were facing each other. "What do you mean?"

Star pursed her lips before dropping her shoulders. "I don't know. I looked at him, and some part of my brain went 'this is what you've been waiting for.'"

I chuckled softly, running my fingers over her knuckles. "Like love at first sight?"

She paused for a second before nodding her head, a smile creeping back up onto her face. "Yeah, like love at first sight." A dazed look caught in her eye, and I chuckled again.

"He's very pretty. Not my type, but I can see what you'd like," I mumbled, standing from my seat.

Star nodded and watched as I searched through Paul's stuff for a joint, knowing he kept at least a dozen pre-rolled and in his pile. I let out a triumphant squeal and moved back to the couch with it between my fingers. "Want some?"

Star hesitated before nodding. I grinned and pulled a lighter from my pocket. I lit it easily and took a drag before handing it over to her. She paused before taking a long inhale. She coughed loudly as she exhaled, and I laughed as I helped her calm down.

"I used to do that, too. You'll get used to it."

She nodded and took another drag, closing her eyes as she exhaled without coughing this time. I nodded and took it from her so I could take another drag. I watched as Laddie laid on the floor and colored a picture of a bird happily, his legs swinging back and forth.

A bit of time passed in almost complete silence before I leapt up and shook myself. "I'm going to take a shower," I proclaimed as I wobbled to the bathroom. Star giggled and nodded. "If Paul asks, I gave that to you! He can take it up with me if he gets mad!" Star nodded again, and I messed up Laddie's hair before making my way down the dark hallways.

I pushed myself into the bathroom and sighed quietly, stripping myself down to nothing. I turned on the warm water and climbed in. I placed my head on the wall and sighed, letting the water run down my back. I bet I look like one of those dramatic movie scenes. I scratched at my skin before moving backward only to hit someone's chest.

I gasped loudly and spun around, almost losing my footing, only to meet David's eyes. I sighed and leaned my head on his shoulder. "You scared the shit out of me," I mumbled against his shoulder. He laughed quietly and ran his fingers through my hair. "When did you guys get back?"

"Just a few moments ago. Star's almost passed out on the couch and Dwayne's putting Laddie in bed. Paul wanted to come in here, but I got here before him."

I laughed quietly and pressed my lips against his shoulder. He slipped his hands around my waist and pulled me a bit closer to him. "Y'know," I mumbled after a few seconds of quiet, "I've seen Paul without his hairspray. What would you look like?"

David groaned quietly and rolled his eyes. "You're going to wash my hair, aren't you?"

I gave him a cheery grin and nodded. "But, first, I need to clean myself."

David perked up a bit and leered toward me. "Well, if you're washing my hair, it's only fair that I can wash you."

I rolled my eyes and laughed, handing him the bottle of body wash. "You make a good point." David grinned and pulled me near him as he opened the cap to the body wash. I leaned on him as his hands roamed across my body, spending a bit more time in certain areas. He then did my hair and ended up putting too much conditioner in, though I ignored it.

When it was finally my turn, I spent a good amount of time pulling at his locks and lathering his hair so everything would come out. It scared me how much hairspray and gel these boys used. David let out soft groans as I scratched at his scalp, and I laughed as his eyes glazed over with lust. "One second, baby," I whispered. He whimpered. David actually whimpered. "Well, now I know what you like." David huffed, and I pulled my hands away. "Get under the water." David complied and moved forward. I pushed all the soap out of his hair. His hair flopped down, and David pushed it away from his eyes, slicking it back with the water. "Well, aren't you handsome," I stated, grinning at his new look.

David flushed a bit and shook his head. "Come on, sweetheart."

I smirked and tugged at his hair once more before pushing him away from the water and falling to my knees. David's mouth fell slack as I moved forward and took his erection into my mouth. I ran my tongue down his shaft and hummed as I took his head around my lips. David moaned, and his head fell back. I bobbed my head back and forth before surging forward, taking him all in until my nose was pressed against his pubic hair.

David grabbed my hair, and his body shook as I held in place for a moment, trying not to gag, before pulling back and taking a deep breath only to come back. David's hips snapped up to meet my mouth, and he let out a shuddering groan as I swallowed around him.

I swirled my tongue around his tip and held his hips with my hands, digging my nails slightly into the flesh. "'m not gonna last long," he groaned out, and I took all of him again at the sentence, letting my tongue slip along him before pulling back. I took him again only for him to let out a loud moan and release in my mouth. I gagged a bit and pulled back when he was done, swallowing it all.

I pulled myself up and watched as he leaned against the wall, trying to steady himself. I moved forward and pressed my lips against his throat, sucking a mark into the flesh. David pulled my hair back only to pull me to him and kiss me harshly. I grunted and sighed, responding to the kiss immediately.

"We need to get to bed," he mumbled as he pulled back. I nodded slowly and grinned at his tired eyes. "You should do that more often."

I laughed and turned off the shower. "Maybe," I mused, grabbing three towels from the rack. I twisted my hair into one, wrapped the second around my body, and passed the third to David who mussed up his hair with it before wrapping it around his waist.

I stepped out of the bathroom and shivered at the cold air. David grabbed one of my hands and laced our fingers together, dragging me to the bedroom. I giggled at the action and followed him, stepping in to see my boys laying around the bed in different positions. Marko was laying on Dwayne who looked only mildly annoyed while Paul had his head dangling off one of the sides of the bed. Each of them were sitting without shirts or jackets, and Paul had also discarded his pants already.

The boys looked up at the sound of the two of us, and I was immediately pulled onto Paul's lap. He grinned as I gasped at the feeling. I leaned down and kissed him softly, making sure to keep my towel secured around me. I shook my head as he bit my lip and dragged it away, watching it pop back into place. "I have to get clothes on," I chided, moving from him.

He grumbled and dropped his head back down. "I don't know why you don't just sleep naked. None of us would complain."

I rolled my eyes. "Because I have these." I pointed to my boobs. "And they hurt when I'm not wearing a bra, and I refuse to sleep without panties with you horn-dogs around."

Paul let out a giggling laugh as did Marko, and I shook my head, pulling out an underwear set. It was a lacy black set that surprisingly had a lot of support. I could thank Paul and Marko for my endless supply of underwear as they were constantly 'buying' new pairs for me. Dwayne had taken to buying me jewelry, and David was slowly but surely stocking my shelf of the music cabinet as I expressed artists I liked.

"So, what took you guys so long, anyway," I questioned as I slid the underwear up my legs and dropped the towel right after. I turned a bit toward them as I pulled my bra-straps up. "Doesn't normally take you _that_ long to eat."

David fell on the bed with boxers on his legs and yawned. "Max found another girl he likes, but he claims that 'this one is the one.'" David imitated his voice by dropping it down an octave or two which made Marko giggle to himself. "We've been told that we're supposed to turn her sons because it'll make it easier for her to join."

"Didn't he just do this a few months ago? Isn't that why we have Star? Is he insane?" The questions spilled out of my mouth without a second thought, and this time, Dwayne laughed.

"Yes to all of those, princess. Only this time, it's boys."

I shook my head and dropped myself onto the bed. I felt Marko roll from Dwayne to me and curl around my left side. David pulled me up a bit, so I was laying on his stomach, and Dwayne curled around Marko while Paul took my other side. "That's trash. We going to meet him tomorrow?"

"Yes, doll," Paul mumbled, pressing his lips to my shoulder.

I felt the pull of the sun rising, and my eyes were dropping slowly. "Ok, ok, I love you guys,"

"Love you too."


	20. Chapter 20

**xx.**

I stumbled off the roller-coaster and straight into Paul's arm. I listened to Laddie's cheering from the experience and shook my head. That ride always got to me. I felt Paul grab my thighs, and I immediately jumped so I could wrap my legs around him. I pulled my head back and planted my lips on his for a moment before giving him a smile.

"Enjoy yourself?"

I groaned and shook my head, leaning my head back on his shoulder. "One time was fine, but five in a row is not!"

Paul laughed, and we began walking. I only pulled away when I felt myself get set on the seat of his motorcycle. "David thinks Michael is going to be here soon, so we're gonna wait here on the bikes. Intimidate him, y'know."

I snorted and shook my head again, grabbing the blunt from his jacket. I fetched a lighter from the back pocket of my jeans and lit it easily. Paul raised his eyebrows and leaned toward me with a stupid smile on his face. "Not even gonna ask?"

I grinned and blew the smoke out in his face, making him narrow his eyes teasingly. "Nope."

Paul lunged forward and locked his lips with mine, biting down on my lower lip. I groaned against him and chased his lips as he pulled away, but he simply laughed and sat himself down on the bike. I huffed and pouted before taking another drag of the weed.

I laid my head on Paul's back and watched as Dwayne helped Laddie up onto his bike. Marko was staring at me with a grin as he bit his thumb. I sent him a wink in response. David was sitting on his bike smoking a cigarette. I had to admit, the sight was pretty. I had never found smoking attractive until I watched the boys do it.

David blew out the smoke from his cigarette, and I watched as his eyes grew trained on someone. Following his gaze, I watched Star follow the boy from before to his bike. David narrowed his eyes slightly, and he started his engine. Everyone followed, and soon, we had surrounded the poor boy and Star.

Star looked like a deer caught in the headlights for a second before her face turned stone-cold. My grip tightened a bit around Paul.

"Where are you going, Star," David questioned, his voice smooth and intimidating.

Star paused for a second. "For a ride," she responded. "This is Michael."

I froze at that and looked at her, worried. Michael was the boy we were supposed to turn, and it was Star's crush – possibly even more to her.

David's look was calculating, and I could tell he was thinking hard though he kept a cool persona. Michael went to reach for Star's hand. "Come on," he spoke with a slight smirk on his face.

"Star," David chided in response. Star snapped her head to David, and I wanted to cringe at the tension between the three. David was mad. I could feel it. Michael was a bit hurt, and Star was conflicted.

Star gave David a look that screamed anger, before letting out a breath and silently climbing onto his bike. Paul and Marko laughed quietly, Paul hitting the handle to his bike. I sent Star a sad smile to which she responded to with a tight-lipped one, and I focused on David as he spoke. He looked a bit more smug than usual. "You know where Hudson's Bluff is, overlooking the point?"

Michael looked away and grinned to himself. "I can't beat your bike."

"You don't have to beat me, Michael. You just have to try and keep up."

Dwayne looked back to Laddie and mumbled, "we're going for a ride."

Paul let out an excited laugh, and we all pulled out. David led followed by Paul and me, Marko, Dwayne, and Michael trailed behind. We jumped the stairs and made our way down the beach, increasing speed. I held tightly to Paul, laughing at the speed and hollering with the boys. We rode over the beach, under the boardwalk, and through the woods, and I watched as we got closer to our home. I looked back every now and then to see Michael following, though he was a bit more hesitant in the turns and jumps. He followed, though, and I could tell the boys were silently impressed.

However, I watched as we grew closer and closer to the edge and Michael sped up to match David. I could faintly hear David egging Michael on as we drove nearer and nearer. I squeezed Paul, worried. He grabbed my thigh with one of his hands in response, and I bit my lip.

Paul came to a stop, and I gasped as I watched Michael swerve to a stop and almost fall off the edge. David had parked just a bit back, far enough away to stay safe. I silently climbed off the bike as did all the others, and I jumped forward to pull Star away from David as Michael stood and threw a punch at David. "What do you think you're doing, huh," Michael yelled.

I held Star in my arms tightly so she wouldn't have the idea to get in between the two of them.

David turned his head slowly, a stupid smirk on his face as he did so. "Just you. Come on. Just you. Just you." Michael's voice decreased in volume over the short sentences.

David gave Michael a sinister grin and tilted his head a bit. "How far are you willing to go, Michael?"

I watched the scene before silently taking Star's hand and leading her away from the scene and to the stairs. I knew the boys would be bringing him down. I grabbed a piece of driftwood from the ground near the entrance and lit it with my lighter so I could light the bins around the place.

The boys followed us in a few moments later, and Dwayne kissed the side of my head as a small thank you for lighting up the place. I watched as Paul jumped down the final stair with Laddie, both laughing almost silently. "Hit the rock box, bud," Paul stated. Laddie immediately ran over to the speaker and handed it to Paul who had jumped up on the fountain. Marko already had his pigeons on him, and Dwayne was grabbing a skateboard. I hopped up beside Paul and walked around the fountain as I listened to David's speech.

"Not bad, huh?" I turned my head to watch David as he talked. "This was the hottest place in Santa Carla about eighty-five years ago. Too bad they built it on the fault." Paul set the stereo down, and Laddie immediately ran over to the music shelf to grab one of his favorite CDs to put in. "In 1906, when the big one hit San Francisco, the ground opened up, and this place took a header right into the crack, so now it's ours." David stopped near me, and I bent down to kiss him softly. He grinned when he pulled back, and I laughed as Paul spoke up.

"So check it out, _Mikey_!" I turned to see him lighting a joint.

David made his way over to Michael and threw his arm around him. "Marko, food," he stated simply, and Marko immediately let go of his bird and made his way out of the cave, making sure to stop by me and get a kiss. "That's what I love about this place. You ask, and you get." I chuckled and sat down on the edge of the fountain, helping Laddie set up the music as Paul handed David the joint who offered it to Michael. "Appetizer?" Michael took it and David clapped his back. "You'll like it here, Michael."

I watched as Star moved toward her bed, watching from the curtains beside it. I gave her a reassuring smile and she nodded in response. I stood and walked over to her, and she silently wrapped her arms around me as she stared at Michael from over my shoulder. "It'll be okay," I mumbled quietly, trying to get Michael not to look at us. "They're not going to hurt him."

"They're going to turn him into a monster, Evangeline," she whispered back.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "We're not monsters."

"Yes, we are."

I frowned and pulled away, shaking my head. "I wish you would just accept it, Star. It's hurting me, too, y'know."

Star frowned and let out a soft breath, and music filled the room. "I'm sorry." Her voice was genuine and sad, and I bit my lip. "I'm sorry. I'm trying, and you know that. I just – you know how I feel about Michael. Why'd they have to choose him? Oh, I should have just stayed away."

I wanted to tell her that it wasn't her fault and that he had been chosen by Max, but I couldn't tell her until she was a full vampire. I was an exception because I was their mate. Star, though, had to wait until she accepted everything. Instead, I muttered a simple "I know."

I moved back to the main room after a few moments and jumped into Paul's arms. He held me easily and laughed as I grabbed him tightly. He held me up as he walked over to the fountain and fell down so I fell onto his lap. "Hey," he said with a teasing smile on his face as I pulled away a bit to look at him.

I grinned back and leaned forward to kiss him softly. I could hear what everyone else was doing, and it was oddly calming. David was sitting in his chair, picking at the sides like he always did. Dwayne was still skating around, sometimes jumping or swerving. Michael was walking around, looking at everything. Laddie was sitting on the other couch, quietly singing to the song, and Star still stood by the bed. Everything seemed to be peaceful.

I heard Dwayne's board stop, and I heard his body drop on the couch. Paul squeezed my sides and pulled away from the kiss. "I think Dwayne wants you," he whispered.

I nodded and pecked his lips again before standing and moving to the couch where Dwayne sat. He reached his arms out for me and pulled me onto his lap like Paul had me. I grinned at the action. "Hiya."

"Hey, princess."

I picked up a piece of his hair and twirled it in my fingers before cupping his face with my hands. "How are you?"

"Good now that you're here," he stated simply, nuzzling his face in my hand.

"You're like a kitten," I mused. Dwayne growled teasingly, and I laughed quietly. I pressed my lips to his for a short second before climbing off his lap and falling onto the seat beside him. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me a bit tighter to him. I leaned my head on his shoulder and relaxed.

Michael's eyes were trained on Star who was looking right back, and I debated on saying something, but my train of thought was cut off as Marko stepped into the cave. "Feeding time! Come and get it, boys," he called out.

"All right," Dwayne and Paul called out at the same time, and I laughed a bit. Paul threw a few boxes to everyone, and Dwayne handed me a box of rice and honey chicken.

"Guests first," David stated, holding out a box to Michael.

Michael declined, shaking his head. "No, no thanks."

"You don't like rice," David questioned, raising his eyebrows, almost taunting Michael. "Tell me, Michael. How could a billion Chinese people be wrong? Come on."

The boys snickered to themselves, and I rolled my eyes, sticking my fork into my food and eating as Michael took the box. Michael took a bite or two before David spoke up again.

"How are those maggots?" I looked up in confusion as the boys started laughing to themselves again, all watching the scene. "Maggots, Michael. You're eating maggots. How do they taste?" Michael looked down at his food before dropping his box and spitting out what he had in his mouth. I leaned forward a bit, expecting to see maggots like David had said, but it was just rice. I mean, plain rice is pretty terrifying, but it wasn't _maggots_.

The boys were all laughing loudly, and I wanted to scold Paul for laughing like that with his mouth full. "Leave him alone," Star called out, and I met her eyes.

She was frowning, and I pursed my lips as Dwayne talked in my ear. "Pretty sad, pretty sad."

Michael sat back up, looking confused, as was I. David stabbed at his food and took a breath. "Sorry about that. No hard feelings, huh?"

Michael looked at David before looking away. "No."

"Why don't you try some noodles?" Michael looked toward the box David held in front of him with a small smile on his face only to look away, disgusted.

"They're worms."

"What do you mean 'they're worms?'" David loaded his chopsticks with a few noodles, and Michael tried to stop him only to fall quiet as David ate the noodles. "They're only noodles, Michael."

Michael grabbed the box from David and stared at the noodles with a confused look. The boys were cracking up again, but I was just as confused as the boy. What were they doing to mess with the boy? How were they getting him to see such things?

"That's enough," Star called out, stepping forward. She was wrapped in a blanket that she pulled a bit tighter around herself as if it would protect her as she spoke.

"Ah, chill out, girl," Paul responded, laughing a bit.

Marko leaned over to David, and David whispered in his ear. "Bring me the wine," he whispered, and I sat up a bit more.

Marko walked away only to return with the encrusted bottle, and Star followed behind him, moving to step closer to Michael. David grinned as he opened the bottle, and I turned to see Paul smiling a stupid smile while still chewing his food. "Paul, if you don't close your mouth while you eat, you're not sleeping in the bed tonight," I stated, quiet enough so Michael wouldn't hear but Paul would. Paul turned to me with wide eyes, and I gave him a defiant stare. He nodded and turned back to the scene.

Dwayne kissed the side of my head as I focused on the scene in front of me. David took a sip from the wine, his eyes fluttered closed, and I watched as a few emotions overtook his face before disappearing. He opened his eyes and stared at Michael. "Drink some of this, Michael. Be one of us."

I bit my nail as Michael paused before standing and walking over to David. Star gave me a worried look and followed after him. I tried to give her a comforting look, tried to let her know that it would be okay, but I knew it didn't work. Dwayne squeezed my arm as he heard my heartbeat speed up a bit from anxiety.

The boys began chanting Michael's name, and Laddie stood up from his couch and moved over to Star. "Don't. You don't have to, Michael," Star stated softly as Paul said, "take a chance!"

"It's blood," Star said.

I could still hear Paul teasing him. "Michael, drink it."

"Yeah, sure, blood," Michael teased, rolling his eyes. He tilted the bottle back and took a sip from it.

David yelled out "bravo" and clapped his hands. The boys followed in the cheering. "Give me a ride, Marko."

Star shook her head, and I watched her and Laddie walk over to their beds, ignoring the boys as they started cheering. I shook my head as well, standing from my seat and walking toward the hall to my room. I made my way into the hall before I was pressed against the wall with Dwayne right in front of me. "What's wrong, princess," he questioned, his hand cupping my face.

"Nothing," I mumbled quietly, placing my hand over his and smiling softly. "Go have fun. I'm going to take a shower, and then, I'll probably just go lay in bed, maybe draw."

Dwayne sighed and pressed his lips to my forehead. "I don't believe you, but we'll talk about this later."

I nodded and tilted my head up, so I could kiss him on the lips. "Have fun. Stay safe."

Dwayne hummed and kissed me again. "I love you. We all do. Remember that, okay?"

I nodded. "I love you guys, too. Now go back to the fun."

Dwayne kissed me once more before I felt him disappear, and he was back in the room as if he had never left.

I listened to them until the sound of them was completely gone from the stone walls. I did take a shower, an hour long one where I did little washing and a lot of thinking. It was nothing bad. I just let my mind wander off randomly. I stepped out of the shower the long time later and laid on the bed in nothing but my towel out of complete boredom and my want to not get dressed.

I closed my eyes and let out a quiet sigh. I laid there for a long time, just looking at the ceiling, thinking. I thought about my boys and all they had done for me. I thought about Star and her new-found love for Michael. I thought about Laddie and how he had completely accepted the lifestyle of us. I thought about how I wanted to turn full so badly, but I knew I couldn't. I had to wait for Star. Well, I could, but I wouldn't. I had kept the promise this long. I can keep it a bit longer. She was slowly succumbing, and I knew it wouldn't be long. I could hold out.

I must have been more caught up in my thoughts than I thought because I didn't realize the boys had entered until I felt Marko's body over me. I gasped loudly and jumped only to calm down when I saw the boy's familiar face. "Jesus Christ," I grumbled, looking up at the boy.

Marko had a Cheshire grin on his face as he looked down at me, his hands on either side of his face. "Well, hello to you too, Angel."

I sighed and gave him a lopsided smile. "Hi. Sorry for freaking out."

Marko bent his head down and kissed me. I closed my eyes and relaxed into the kiss, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. Marko pulled away a few seconds later. "Did you not put on clothes just for me," he questioned, and I looked down. I had completely forgotten I was in a towel.

I hummed, deciding to tease him. "I don't know. Maybe it was for Dwayne or David," I stated simply, and I heard soft growls. I lifted my head to see the other boys standing near the doorway, all of them stripping to their underwear like every night.

Marko growled teasingly and bent down again, this time nipping at my neck. I moaned in response and tangled my fingers in his hair. He grunted in appreciation.

Marko lifted himself up and sat himself upon his knees. His hands moved to the top of my towel and looked at me, silently asking for permission to take it off. I nodded slightly, and he dragged the fabric off my body. "I don't think I'll get used to this sight," Marko breathed out. His hands ran down my sides, and he attached his lips to my skin, slowly moving down.

I sighed as the familiar feeling of heat gathering at my sex. Marko pressed bite marks into my skin, just hard enough to leave marks but not hurt. I looked up as I felt the bed dip in a few spots around me. Two other mouths were on me, each taking a nipple in their mouth. My back arched, and I cried out. Marko was getting lower and lower until I felt his breath fan over my most sensitive spot.

Paul's face appeared in front of me, and I lifted my arms, grabbed his face, and pulled him down to kiss me. He complied, and he muffled my moans as Marko tentatively pressed his tongue against my clit. The loud moan I let out seemed to give him a bit more confidence as he licked a bold stripe up my cunt.

I felt David and Dwayne move from my nipples to the surrounding flesh, making marks in the pale skin. My body was heating up, and I was panting, and soon, I released. The familiar feeling of what felt like a cord snapping overtook my body, and I cried into Paul's mouth as I released. Marko's tongue slowed, but it continued working on me until I rode out my entire orgasm. David and Dwayne pulled away a few moments later as did Paul, and I shook my head as I watched them.

"You guys seem to really enjoy doing that," I mumbled as I was pulled to sit in between Dwayne's legs.

Dwayne hummed. "Yes, I guess we do. You being pleasured brings us pleasure."

I sighed and leaned into his hold. "I feel bad that I never return the favor, though."

"You can do that later if you want," Paul replied, winking at me from the dresser. "Do you want underwear or no?" I nodded, and he threw me a purple set that landed in my lap.

"Right now, we need to talk," David stated, watching me climb off the bed so I could pull the underwear up my legs. "Who is Michael to Star?" I froze at the question, my hands stilled at the clasp of my bra, and my breath cut short for a second before I regained my composure. I hooked the bra and bit my lip as I climbed back into the bed.

I sat beside where he was laying, looking down at his form. "Why does it matter?"

"Because I need to know where she stands."

"She stands with us," I replied, my tone defensive. "Where else would she be?"

David growled, and his eyes narrowed. "Well, considering she tried to stop Michael from drinking-"

"You think she's going to betray us or something? David, are you kidding me? She's supposed to be your sister. Do you really think she would do that?"

"Well, I don't know what to believe at this point, Evangeline. I mean, she refuses to drink, she's putting _you_ in pain, and now, she's trying to fuck up our plans."

I shook my head and crawled off the bed, my face upturned to a scowl. Oh, how David could fuck up a mood. "David, she's found someone she thinks she can love. She's been looking for that for quite a while, and it just so happens that it's the person you're supposed to turn. Did you even take a second to think that maybe she found her mate? She doesn't even know what that is, but from the way she's describing it, I wouldn't doubt it for a moment. Of course, she's worried. _She thinks we're monsters, so why would she want him to be one?_ " I grabbed my hair. "I'm not- I'm not talking about this anymore." I shook my head again and moved to my dresser, grabbing a tank top and sleeping shorts. I pulled on the clothes quickly.

"Where are you going," Paul questioned, and I turned to see them all watching me.

"I'm not sleeping in here tonight. You guys can have a break from me for a night." I could feel the sun beginning to rise, and I silently thanked whatever God it was that did that. They couldn't go out to the main cave in the sunlight.

Marko moved toward me from the bed but stopped at the look I gave him. His face quickly turned hurt, and I wanted to take it back, but I knew I just needed a day away if David was thinking like that and none of the boys stopped him.

"I love you guys," I mumbled as I walked to the door. "Good morning. See you tomorrow night."

Then, I stepped out of the room and walked down the hall, knowing the boys wouldn't follow me since I told them not to. I stumbled slightly on the way out, and I grunted at the sight of the sunlight. I walked over to Star's bed and gently shook her shoulders. She woke up quickly as she had only been asleep for a few minutes. "Can I sleep with you tonight," I questioned quietly.

Star gave me a confused look but nodded and moved over a bit to make room for me. "What happened."

"David's a dick," I mumbled and dropped onto the bed beside her. "I'm sorry for waking you up."

Star shook her head and gave me a small smile. "No, it's fine. I don't mind. You can hold me if you want. I mean, I bet it's weird going from four boys to one girl, y'know."

I nodded, and I wrapped my arms around her. I could tell she enjoyed the hold. It's always nicer when you're laying with someone in bed even if it's just a friend. She wrapped her arms around me as well and pressed her face to my shoulder. "I love you a lot, Star. You're like the sister I never had."

"I love you too, Evangeline. Thank you for being there for me."

I smiled and let out a long breath. "Good morning."

"Good morning."


	21. Chapter 21

**xxi.**

"Princess," a voice whispered in my ear, and a hand ran through my hair. "Wake up."

I groaned and rolled over, grabbing the hand and holding it to my face. I opened my eyes slowly to see Dwayne kneeling in front of me, a worried smile on his face. "Hey," I mumbled before letting go of him and stretching my body. I clutched unfamiliar sheets and looked around in confusion. Why was I in Star's bed?

Oh.

I turned back to Dwayne and grabbed his hand, kissing his palm. "How'd you sleep."

"Terrible."

I huffed and nodded. "Me too." It wasn't a lie. My bones felt stiff, and I was still tired though I slept the entire day. Though holding Star helped a bit, it was nothing compared to being with my boys. "When did you guys get up?"

"Only a minute ago. Couldn't wait to see you again. It was weird without you there."

I pulled myself up and stretched my limbs up again. I let out a loud yawn and shook my head, trying to wake up. A sharp pain hit my lower stomach, and I flinched involuntarily, moving to grab at my flesh. Dwayne gave me a sad look and grabbed one of my hands, locking our fingers together.

"You should drink from me," Dwayne mumbled, leaning in a bit.

I shook my head. "No, I shouldn't always have to take from you guys."

"Please," Dwayne whispered, giving me a look that had me nodding almost instantly. Dwayne smiled and pulled himself up a bit so my mouth was level with his neck. "Go ahead."

I didn't waste time. I bit into him and took long pulls of blood from him, almost moaning at the taste. Dwayne wrapped an arm around me, moving his hand up and down my back in a reassuring manner. I pulled away after only a few seconds, not wanting to take too much. "Thank you," I whispered, licking the remaining blood from my lips.

Dwayne nodded and pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry for last night."

I shook my head. "You're not the one who's supposed to be apologizing."

Dwayne huffed and pulled away. "I know. I'm just sorry for not stepping in."

"You're forgiven," I stated simply and pressed a kiss to his lips.

I stood from the bed and looked around the cave with only mild interest. The boys seemed to be getting ready to leave, but David was watching me, a look in his eyes I didn't understand. I watched him lift his hand and motion for me to come to him.

I hesitated for a moment, but after Dwayne pressed a kiss to my temple and pushed me forward a bit, I made my way over to him. David reached his arms out and pulled me onto his lap. I tensed at the action, the argument from the night before still on my mind.

David took a deep breath and took one of my hands in his. "I'm sorry." It was two words, but his voice held deep meaning. "I'll admit that it's weird to say that because I never really say it – ask any of the boys – but I'm truly sorry. I got too emotional and didn't think when I was speaking. I was trying to look out for you and the others, but obviously, fighting didn't do very much." David laughed a hard laugh and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for getting angry and doubting Star and making you mad. I'm sorry that I don't think before I talk. Please forgive me."

"You're forgiven," I stated, and David immediately pulled me into a long kiss. It was obvious that he was trying to convey his emotions during it. I had to pull away from it, out of breath and a bit flustered. "And I'm sorry as well." David looked at me in confusion. "I should have at least given you a second to defend yourself, but I got defensive and mad. I shouldn't have done that."

David smiled and shook his head. "That's fine. You're fine."

"So, what are your plans for tonight," I questioned, twirling a piece of his hair in my hand.

David grinned at the action. "We're going to go scare Michael a bit, go to the boardwalk and find a meal, probably steal you something." I rolled my eyes but nodded. "Are you coming with?"

I shook my head, pursing my lips. "No, I think today's going to be a bad day," I mumbled, thinking about how I had woken up to immediate cramps. "Don't think I can go out."

David nodded in understanding, his face turning concerned. "Do you want one of us to stay with you? I'm sure Paul would love to - or Marko."

I shook my head again. "No, it's fine. I'll hang out with Star and Laddie. I'm sure we'll find something to do."

David seemed to not want to take my answer, but he nodded. "We'll make sure to feed a bit more than usual so you can drink plenty, okay?"

I grinned. "Thank you, David."

"Anything for my girl."

I bent down and pressed my lips against his as a goodbye kiss before standing from the chair. I went to each of the boys and kissed them softly, though Paul had grabbed my ass during his, and bid them all a good night. They left after a few minutes of complaining to which I had to push them toward the entrance with a 'stay safe and don't die again, please.'

Once they had finally disappeared, I turned to face Star who was already staring at me. "So, I guess you heard me and David talking, huh?" Star nodded. "I'm guessing you want to know what the argument was about." She nodded. "Laddie listening to music?" Star nodded. "Okay."

I motioned for her to follow me, and I led us to the couch. I plopped down and kicked up my feet on a makeshift table in front of it. She sat down with her hands in her lap. "I don't want to intrude. I just heard my name, and I don't want to be the reason you guys get in arguments and stuff." Her voice was wobbly as she spoke, and I quickly shook my head.

"No, no, no, it wasn't your fault. Well, not really. I mean, you couldn't have stopped it." I paused and pursed my lips. "After some _activities_ last night." I coughed. "David asked me in a rude manner who Michael was to you and basically said he didn't know if he could trust you. I told him he was being ridiculous and that you would never betray us because even if we're terrible, we're family. I don't think you could betray us, at least I hope you wouldn't. I know our circumstances aren't the best, but I feel like you could get used to it."

Star looked taken aback by my words. "You believe in me that much?"

"Of course. I told you last night. You're my sister. I'm not letting you go."

Star lunged forward and pulled me into a hug, burying her face in my shoulder. "I'm sorry I'm making you have to wait so long. You don't understand how thankful I am that you're here with me. I don't know what I would do without you, to be honest."

I rubbed her back and smiled a bit. "Of course, Star. Take your time." Star held me for a few seconds before pulling away. "I do have something I need to talk to you about, though." Star looked at me in confusion, and I bit my lip. I wasn't sure I was supposed to tell her about this, but maybe it would help her accept everything. "It's about Michael."

"Michael? What about him?"

I scratched my nose and took a deep breath. "So, this might sound completely insane, but what if I told you that Michael was your _soulmate_?"

Star's face went blank. "I- I don't know. I mean-"

"Hey, hey, hey," I calmed her down, "it's okay. I just need you to answer a question or two." Star nodded slowly. "When you saw him for the first time that night, tell me what you felt."

Star took a moment to think before she spoke. "I don't know. I was in the concert that Paul wanted to go to, and I felt someone staring at me, and I turned and met his eyes, and something inside my head was like 'this is him. This is the one you've been waiting for.' I was confused and startled so I grabbed Laddie's hand and led him to the bikes to get back to you and talk, but he followed me. I think maybe he felt it too, or maybe it was lust. Either way, I could pick his heartbeat, his breathing, his footsteps out of everyone on the boardwalk, and it scared me, but it intrigued me." I nodded and encouraged her to keep going. "Then, last night, I saw him while he was looking at piercings, and I couldn't stop myself from walking up to him. Then, he was offering me dinner, and I was going to get on his bike, and then you guys showed up." Star shook her head and frowned. "I should have just stayed away, Eva. Maybe he wouldn't have gotten dragged into this. Maybe he wouldn't have to go through this too."

I grabbed Star's hands to calm her down and gave her a smile. "I've been reading some of Dwayne's books that he has. I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to, but what's he gonna do about it?" I laughed a bit before getting back on topic. "I think that even though you're only a half-vampire, you found your mate on accident. I mean, from what you describe, that's definitely what it sounds like. I know it's a weird concept but think about it. If Michael becomes a vampire and you follow through, you'll be together forever. You'll have him like I have my boys."

"I think I'd like that," Star whispered, staring at her lap. "I think I'd like that a lot."

"David's been a bit rough with you because he's scared you're not going to follow through, but when you're doubting, think about this: you're going to have five brothers, a sister, and a lover that'll stick by your side forever. We'll get to watch this world tear itself apart and sit back and laugh because we're not going to get hurt. We all look out for each other because that's what family does, and they're ready to accept you completely. Just give in to your urges." I winced a bit as a sharp cramp hit me.

My ears perked up a bit as I heard a motorcycle pull up outside, but it didn't sound like one of my boys'. I looked at Star confused, but she was staring at the entrance with an entranced look. "Is that? Can you tell if it's him?"

"It's Michael," Star whispered.

I stood from the couch a bit too quickly but rushed around, grabbing Laddie's favorite book, the stereo, and his art supplies. Rain stood from his position beside Laddie and followed me around. He had been sitting around with Laddie most of the time, and I was thankful for it. "I'm going to take Laddie to my room. Whatever you do, make sure you're dressed by night time tomorrow." I moved to where Laddie was, knowing I didn't have much time left to get out of sight. "Star, please don't tell him anything. Let the boys tell him. Stay safe."

Star sent me an appreciative smile, and I pulled Laddie up from the ground, pulling him behind me right as I heard Michael enter the cave. "Where are we going, mom," Laddie questioned, walking behind me easily.

"We're going to stay in the room for the night. I know you won't like it much, but we have to leave Star alone. Okay, bud?" I looked over my shoulder to see Laddie nodding. I grinned and opened the bedroom door, setting his stuff down on the bed. Laddie climbed on easily and grabbed the stereo so he could put in a cassette.

I went through the room and lit a few more candles before dropping on the bed beside him. "Well, the boys won't get back for a few hours, so what do you want to do?"

The next few hours were spent doing random activities while mostly staying in the room. At one point, I let him run off to take a shower as I knew the main room wouldn't be able to hear it, but he was back about thirty minutes later, and I gave him one of Paul's shirts to use for the night with his own underwear. It would do. We went through time drawing, coloring, dancing, and reading to him, and soon, he was passed out on the bed right in the middle with Rain curled around him. I had just pulled on an oversized shirt when I heard the familiar hoots and hollers of my boys. I moved and opened the door quickly so they all flew in one after the other.

Paul immediately enveloped me in his arms and pulled me into a kiss, grinning the entire time and making our teeth clack together. "I didn't get to see you this morning," he yelled out as he pulled away. I covered his mouth with my hand and shushed him, tilting my head back to motion at Laddie. His eyes followed, and his eyes went wide. "Sorry," he whispered against my hand, and I grinned as I pulled my hand away from him. He immediately pulled me into another kiss, and I screeched as I was pulled away from him.

Marko was holding me now, and he gave me a grin before kissing me like Paul had. I rolled my eyes and complied. "Guessing you missed me as well," I teased when I pulled away.

"Well, of course," Marko replied, a grin taking over his face. "I missed you last morning as well."

I gave him a sad smile. "I'm sorry. I missed you too, though." I placed my hand on his cheek, and he nuzzled his face into it. Marko kissed me once more before placing me back on the ground.

"We got you something today, doll," David spoke up. I looked over to him to see him holding a box out in front of him. I raised my eyebrows and moved over to him. I reached out to grab it only for him to lift it above his head. "Can I get a kiss first?"

I shook my head and gave him a lopsided grin but complied, giving him a short and soft kiss. David hummed in appreciation before handing me the box. I sat down on the bed and quickly opened it, grinning at the content inside. Sitting on the inside was a necklace with four hearts hanging from it. After lifting it from the box and inspecting it, I noticed that each of their initials was carved into a heart.

"We know we get you a lot of jewelry, but it's like one of the only things that last for a really long time, y'know, and you seem to like it, so," Marko trailed off, and I looked up at them, biting my lip as my lips formed into a smile.

"I love it," I stated, emotion raw in my voice.

Dwayne stepped forward and offered to help me put it on. His cold hands clasped it around my neck easily, and I played with the hearts sitting on it. After clasping it, he pressed a short kiss to the back of my neck before moving away.

I could feel the sun rising, and I yawned quietly. The boys took that as a cue to start getting ready for bed. "Let me tell you something," Paul began as he took off his mesh shirt, "seeing Star in bed with Michael was so gross. Like, that's my sister. I don't want to see that!"

"So that's what they're doing," I questioned, shaking my head. "Gross."

Paul and Marko laughed, and David sent me a small smile over his shoulder. "So, mates," he questioned.

I nodded and stared at the door. "From what she tells me, yeah. I think they're mates. Maybe it'll help us get him to join and her to finish. Either way, she's not leaving anytime soon."

David nodded and shoved his pants down his legs. "We talked to Max. He said that things are going _well_ with his new lover, but that the younger brother, Sam, might be a bit of an issue as he is becoming friends with the Frog brothers." I rolled my eyes at the name of the two. They ruined everything, didn't they? "We're going to show Michael what he is tomorrow, try to get him to drink."

I nodded and bit my lip again. "Please be safe."

The boys each responded with their own form of 'of course,' and I watched Dwayne pick up Laddie and Rain and move them to the side of the bed. Then, we each climbed in and fell asleep with the thought of tomorrow on our minds.

MrsMalfoy _-19_ _:_

 _Great chapter! I absolutely LOVE it when Marko initiates the sexy times amongst the group he's my FAV I also am really happy that Evie is sticking to her guns and showing the boys she won't bend to their every will, but also she really should get a move on and mate with them fully as a full vampire. I wonder...what if she gets pregnant as a half vampire? Do you have any plans for your plot with a twist like that? Please update soon!_

 _Hey! Glad to know you like it. I put this here so I could address the question. I'll say now that no she will not be getting pregnant. I kind of figure that once you become half, it's like 100 times harder to get pregnant because your body won't allow it as it's transitioning toward the dead, y'know? Also, we have Laddie! Laddie is her kid in every way but biological, and I think I'll probably just stick to that. Plus, as much as the guys having an actual kid is absolutely hilarious to me because imagine Paul and Marko trying to figure out how to take care of an infant is just a funny thought, I don't doubt that they would absolutely not want one. I mean, you become a vampire to get rid of the worries of growing up and having to actually face responsibilities, and a kid is A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY. AnYwAY, NO there will not be a kid. I'm sorry._

 _P.S. .. go follow my Instagram! It's_


	22. Chapter 22

**xxii.**

Rain whined quietly as I sat down on the couch beside Star. "What's wrong," I questioned her.

Star bit her lip and stabbed at the box of Chinese in her hand. Of course, Marko had grabbed that out of all things for us before the boys disappeared to find Michael. "I shouldn't have done that last night?"

"What do you mean? Didn't you want to?"

Star quickly nodded. "Of course, I wanted to. God, it was so wonderful." She paused and sighed. "But I don't know. What's going to happen now?" She paused again. "I think I want to complete the process, Eva. Especially if he does, too. I'm tired of hurting you because of how selfish I am."

My eyes widened at the news, but I couldn't ignore the fact that it was amazing news to me. "That's wonderful! Well, I mean, it's great that you're finally accepting it. Maybe you just needed Michael all along."

"What if he doesn't react well tonight? I don't want to force him into it." Star's voice was laced with worry, and I watched her pick at the nail polish on her fingers. "What if he hates me after everything?"

"He won't," I stated firmly. "It might take him a moment, but he'll never hate you."

"I hope so." Star wrapped her arms around me and sighed quietly. "I need to see him again. I need to talk to him."

"He's with the boys, isn't he?"

Star shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, but I'll wait by his house. I have to do something. I need to see him, Eva."

I bit my lip and tapped my foot quietly before huffing and nodding. "Yeah, okay. I'll drive you so you don't have to go alone."

"What about Laddie?"

"The boys will be here soon enough and Rain can protect him if push comes to shove." Rain perked up at the sound of his name, and I ran a hand through his hair. "Laddie," I yelled out. The boy bumbled to us after a few seconds, and I grinned at the sight of him.

"Yeah, mom?"

"Laddie, Star and I are going to go out for a little bit. Are you going to be okay by yourself?" Laddie nodded and crossed his arms. "I know how to take care of myself! I'm growing up!"

Star and I laughed, and I ruffled his hair. "Okay, kid. When the boys come back, tell them that Star and I went to do something important and to not follow or I won't let them sleep in my bed tonight."

Laddie nodded excitedly, and I lifted myself from the couch. "There's still some Chinese food left if you want some. I know you ate, but I know you love Chinese, and the boys aren't going to want any."

Laddie bounced a bit before nodding and running away, yelling a 'thanks mom' and 'bye Star' over his shoulder.

I patted down myself, making sure I had my keys, lighter, and joint on me before I helped Star up from the couch. "Let's go talk to your loverboy."

I walked up the many stairs with Star trailing behind and easily climbed onto my bike. Star sat behind me and easily wrapped her arms around me, and then, we were tearing down the non-existent roads toward the Emerson house. Star gave me the instructions, and I didn't question how she knew.

The house seemed to be a bit run-down but overall nice. It had stuffed animals and wood carvings everywhere, and I could hear three people's heartbeats, though one was slower than the rest. Star jumped off my bike quickly and made her way around the house, listening for what window to look into.

I could hear a young boy talking to who I assumed was Michael as we approached a window. I lit a joint as I listened. "Don't kill me, Mike. I'm basically a good kid, so just don't kill me. I can help you. Just tell me who the head vampire is. I thought it was Max, but I was wrong." Who the hell was this kid and how did he know so much? "Just work with me, and I can help you. You'll be okay."

Of course, that's when Star decided to intervene. I had just taken a drag when she began yelling. "Michael! Michael!"

The boys' footsteps were loud as they ran to the window and peered out. "It's those girls. Are they ones, too?"

"I have to talk to you! Can we come up?" Star was incredibly loud, and I wondered if the person downstairs could hear her.

"No," Michael yelled back, and I glared at him for the harsh tone. Star's face turned distraught, and I patted her back as a way to comfort her slightly.

The boys turned and Michael told the younger to close the window, but before he could, I grabbed Star and flew us up. It was something I was absolutely terrible at, but it got us to where we needed to be.

Blondie freaked out and yelled something about us being vampires before diving under his covers and mumbling nonsense. I took another drag from my joint and gave the kid an incredulous look. As Michael and Star stared each other down, I moved and sat down on the edge of Sam's bed. He immediately moved away, and I rolled my eyes. "I'm not gonna hurt you, kid. If I wanted to feed, I wouldn't have waited this long." The kid whimpered, and I shook my head, feeling a bit bad for him.

Michael and Star began talking, and I took to calming down the kid. His heartbeat was giving me a headache. "Do you want some of this? Your heartbeat is annoying the shit out of me." I offered the weed to him, and he stared at it for a second before shaking his head. I shrugged my shoulders. "Seriously, none of us are going to hurt you. Michael's your brother, Star wouldn't do anything to hurt Michael, and I'm not particularly fond of the idea of my first feed being some random kid in his room."

I looked back over to the couple's conversation as I heard David's name. "Well, I'm just like David now, Star."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Fuck no, you aren't," I stated before Star could talk. "For one, you're only a half-vampire for now. Two, you have nothing on David in any sense of the word. Jeez."

"You're like Laddie, Evangeline, and me, Michael. You're not a full vampire until you make your first kill."

Michael seemed to pause for a second before speaking up. "Why didn't you kill me last night?" His gaze was set intensely on Star.

"I couldn't," she stated simply. "I couldn't do that, Michael."

"Why," Michael questioned, stepping closer to Star, and I growled threateningly. I knew he wouldn't hurt her, but the urge to protect the girl I called my sister was strong. "Because you care so much about me?" His tone was condescending, and I wanted to smack him so bad.

"Yes, I do," Star whispered. She raised her hand to his cheek, and I watched his cold demeanor drop for a few seconds only for him to smack her hand away. I growled again, and blondie pulled the covers around him tighter.

"What are you doing here? What do you want from me?"

Star seemed to stutter around her words for a few seconds before she settled for something. "I needed to see if you were okay. I needed to know if you got hurt." Star paused for a second, and tears gathered in her eyes. "I needed to see _you_." Her voice was hoarse and laced with something I couldn't figure out, but Michael seemed to know exactly what.

"Why?"

"Because I love you."

I bit my lip as Michael's shoulders dropped, and he pulled her into a tight hug, holding her to his chest. "I've known you for only a few days, but I think I love you too."

Star swallowed harshly, and I heard sobs rack her body. "I was so worried, Michael. I'm sorry I dragged you into this, but maybe it's not so bad, y'know. We can be together. Forever."

Michael ran a hand through Star's hair, and I shifted a bit in the bed. Sam was slowly calming down, and I patted his leg. His heart spiked for a second but it died down just a moment after. "Can I tell him, Star," I questioned quietly. "Or do you want to tell him?"

Star's breath caught but she whispered out her answer. "I'll tell him."

I nodded and backed myself up so I was at the headboard of the bed. I blew out another puff of my joint as Star began talking to Michael. "Michael, do you believe in soulmates?"

Michael paused for a second. "I mean, I don't know. Why?"

"Michael, every vampire has a soulmate, someone to stay with them all eternity and keep them sane, and – and I think you might be mine."

Sam spoke up this time, his head poking out from his covers. "But half-vampires can't have soulmates unless they're true!"

Star nodded, and Michael's grip tightened on her. "You mean?" Star nodded again.

I spoke up this time, leaning forward a bit. "Why do you think she cares about you so much? I knew the moment I saw the two of you together for the first time. It's incredible how much you guys bonded in an instant. I mean, I thought me and my boys were cheesy, but then I saw you two, and I was like _Jesus_." I laughed a bit and shook my head. "I mean, think about it, Michael. If you join us, you get Star. You get five new brothers and a sister. You get to sleep all day and party all night. There are no rules for us, Michael. We do what we want when we want without repercussions. You get to be part of a new family, and maybe you can get your now family to join as well. One big fuckin' party, dude." I slumped back against the headboard. "Sorry for interrupting, Star. Just couldn't keep my mouth shut."

"Don't listen to her, Michael! She's a creature of the night! You can't trust her!" Blondie was shaking again, afraid I would do something, but I simply rolled my eyes.

"You believe what you want to, Michael, but I'm just trying to tell you the truth."

"Sammy," Michael started, "I don't know. If they're right, then I can't let her go. Sam, I don't want to end up like mom and dad did. If I can have my one shot at true love." He trailed off and shook his head. "I mean, how bad can it be?"

"You're willing to kill people, Mike? Are you for real?"

I snorted. "Dude, you eat animals all the time to survive. He's gotta do what he's gotta do."

Sam frowned. "You're not gonna eat me, are ya, Mike?"

"Of course not, Sammy, and I'll only kill the bad people, y'know. Like the surf nazis."

Sam looked like he wanted to protest, but I stopped him by standing up from the bed. "Listen, this is great and all. You guys can continue your brotherly love and conversation, but Star and I need to leave soon. I don't know how long my boys are willing to wait before they come to find me, and I'd rather not deal with them while they're angry."

Mike nodded but gave me a curious look. "What are you guys anyway?"

"I'm their mate."

"All four of them?" His voice went up an octave, and I shrugged my shoulders.

"There a problem with that?"

Michael shook his head quickly, and I heard Star giggle from where she was hugging him still. "No, of course not. It's just surprising is all."

I nodded and tapped my foot. "Come on, Star. Say your goodbyes or whatever. You'll see him tomorrow night."

Star nodded, and she pulled back a bit before standing on the tips of her toes, so she could kiss Michael without him bending down. It lasted a bit longer than I wanted it to, and I wanted to gag, but I took a drag from my joint instead. It was on its last leg, but I was determined to use it all.

The couple pulled away after a few seconds, and I raised my hand as a goodbye to the boys before I jumped to the ground. Star followed a second after, calling a 'goodnight' to Michael before running after me. I chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as we approached my bike. "Well, that went better thank you thought."

Star nodded and gave me a dreamy look. "He's so wonderful, Eva. So wonderful."

I laughed again and shook my head. "Let's get you home, lovergirl."

The ride back was shorter than the one there, it seemed, and I bounded down the stairs happily, excited to see my boys. I bounded into the cave and was immediately pulled into someone's arms. I grinned once I made out Marko's curly blonde locks in front of me. "Hello to you too, baby!"

"Hey, share her," I heard Paul yell out from behind me.

I rolled my eyes and pulled Marko closer to myself while he giggled quietly. "Stop being a twat, Paul," I drawled out jokingly. "Marko deserves love too!" To prove my point, I pressed a kiss to Marko's cheek. Marko giggled some more and began pressing kisses all over my face. I let out a shriek and closed my eyes at the action. "I take it back! I take it back! Marko got too much love! He's too overpowered!"

I could hear the other boys laughing, and I joined in as Paul pulled me away. "I'll save you, princess," he yelled out as he threw me over his shoulder and ran across the cave.

"Paul, put me down," I screeched, giggling the entire time, but he didn't. Instead, he ran with me on his shoulder, dodging Marko along the way as he tried to grab me from Paul. I yelped when I was pulled from Paul and into a lap. "I'm not a ragdoll," I whined out, meeting the eyes of Dwayne. Dwayne chuckled quietly and leaned forward to kiss me which I reciprocated easily. "I swear," I mumbled as I pulled away, "I can only trust you and David around here."

Dwayne grinned and pressed his hand against my cheek. I then pressed my hand against his. "I missed you," he stated quietly, his voice barely audible.

"You saw me earlier, though," I mused, letting a small smile slip over my face.

"I still missed you, though. I swear a few hours can feel like an eternity when I'm not with you." God, he was so cheesy, but it still gave me butterflies.

I let out a deep breath and closed my eyes, enjoying his hold. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, princess." Dwayne pressed a kiss against my forehead, and I made out the sound of music starting up. "But I think David wants to see you."

I opened my eyes slowly, relishing in his touch, and nodded. I pulled myself up from his lap and looked over to see Marko and Paul sitting on the edge of the fountain heavily making out while Ramones played beside them. I bit my lip at the sight before turning and moving toward David. His bright blue eyes stared me down as I made my way toward him. I climbed into his lap easily, and his hands gripped my thighs as I slid my legs over the sides of the wheelchair. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but this wasn't the biggest chair.

David slid one hand from my thigh to my chin, tracing my jaw. I tilted my head to the side as he moved from my jaw to my neck, trailing his fingers down the skin smoothly. "David," I drawled out.

David hummed and leaned forward, pressing his lips against my neck. "Would you let me have a drink?" I shuddered against him and let out a soft moan as I felt his regular teeth against my skin, biting down hard enough to leave a mark but not break the skin. "Huh, sweetheart?"

"Yes," I breathed out, pressing my hands against his chest. David let out a soft laugh and kissed the skin once more before I felt his fangs sink into me. I let out a moan at the feeling as ecstasy ran through my body. The feeling was pure bliss, and I let soft moans fall from my lips as my hands clawed at his chest.

David took a few pulls of blood from me before letting go and running his tongue over the wound. I ran a hand up David's neck and gripped his hair. I pulled his face up to mine and kissed him harshly, letting him do most of the work. David bit down on my lip and dragged it back, pulling away from me with a grin. His fingers trailed up my skirt, making their way to my underwear.

I hummed and leaned in a bit. "Not out here, David," I whispered.

"Then, I guess we better take this back to our room," he stated and stood fluidly. I squealed and wrapped my legs around him with my arms around his neck.

David grabbed the back of my thighs and began walking while I laughed quietly. I heard the other boys follow, though Marko and Paul kept kissing each other every few steps. David pressed his lips to my throat as he walked, and I focused on the feeling of him as time passed.

Soon, I was laid down on the bed with David hovering over me. His hands pressed my hands against my wrists, pinning them to the beds, but when David pulled away from kissing my lips, I pulled away from his hold. I grabbed his shoulders and flipped him over so I was on top, rolling my hips against his. "Can I do this tonight?"

David gave me a stupid grin and nodded quickly, his hands moving back to my thighs. I rolled my hips against his and bent down to kiss him again. I felt the other boys drop onto the bed, and I could hear Marko and Paul making out still, though I could also hear them discarding each other's clothing. Dwayne moved behind me and slowly tugged me up from David so he could kiss me. David let out a soft groan at the sight, and I moved my hips against his again.

I broke away from Dwayne and fumbled with David's pants, pulling them down his legs harshly. I then pulled my dress over my head as he threw off his shirt. Dwayne was doing the same. I silently grabbed David's cock making him let out an almost silent moan as I pumped him, long, slow strokes. Dwayne kissed me as I did so, his tongue tangling with mine.

I pulled away from Dwayne again, biting his lip as I let go. He growled quietly and moved to make marks along my neck. I lifted myself up a bit and positioned myself correctly before sinking myself down onto David. David and I let out simultaneous moans, and a feeling of bliss overtook my body. I closed my eyes and rocked into him slowly, letting the feeling overdrive my body. One of David's hands gripped my thigh tightly and the other moved to play with my clit. My movements stuttered at the action, and his name bubbled up from my throat and spilled from my lips over and over. Dwayne's hands moved up my sides and discarded my bra before toying with my breasts, fingers tugging at my nipples while his teeth nipped at my neck.

I let out a shuddering sigh as I felt my release build up, and I knew David's was too. I blinked quickly and watched as David's face upturned in pleasure, his eyes closed and lips parted. He kept biting his lip only to quickly let go, and blood from his recent meal was pushed toward his cheeks to make him look like he was blushing.

My hips stuttered, and I let out a loud moan as I came, bouncing a few more times against him as he came right after, his hand on my thigh gripping me a bit tighter.

I gave him a few seconds to calm down before I pulled up and off of him only to get dragged back to Dwayne's chest. His cock pressed against my entrance, and he slid in easily. I moaned a high-pitched moan and threw my hands back to grip his shoulder. His breath was hot and heavy against my skin, but his skin was oddly cold as it pressed again mine.

The sound of skin slapping skin filled the room, and I leaned my head back to kiss him softly as he thrust into me. I cried out against him as I felt my release build up again after being so sensitive from my release before. Dwayne hummed into my mouth and pulled away, his hand moving down to press against my clit. "Cum for me, princess."

And I did. I came with his name falling from my lips like a prayer, and he came a few moments after, his hips snapping up to mine before he completely stopped, and his lips pressed against mine one last time. He gently laid me down, and I let out a soft sigh as I heard Marko and Paul reach their release. I turned my head to see them with their fangs buried in each other, looks of bliss on their face.

I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh, turning so I was laying on my back. David stood quietly, and Dwayne exited the room. David moved to the dresser and pulled out underwear for me. He tossed at my direction and slid a pair of boxers up his legs. Dwayne stepped back in with a rag, and he silently went about cleaning me off like he always did. He then tossed the towel to David who cleaned himself off and tossed it to Paul and Marko who were both sitting up so they could get ready for bed.

I sat up slowly and dragged the underwear up my legs, clipped the bra into place, and fell back against the bed. Marko climbed onto the bed and on top of me, resting his head on my breasts. "Hey, baby," he mumbled, looking up at me.

"Yes, Marko," I questioned, running my hands through his hair.

"I love you so much."

I smiled and pressed my palm against his head. "I love you too, baby." I ran my hand through his hair again, scratching a bit at his scalp. He let out a purring noise and nuzzled into me. I chuckled quietly and watched him fall asleep against me, his small twitches of his hand against mine slowing down until they came to a halt.

David came onto the bed next, laying on my left side. Dwayne laid on my right, pressing a kiss against my cheek before relaxing into the bed. Paul was last, and he climbed up and laid between Marko and my legs, his head laying against our thighs. I smiled a bit more and closed my eyes, letting myself fall asleep.


	23. Chapter 23

**xxiii.**

I woke up to the feeling of Rain licking my face while whining loudly. I groaned and cracked an eye open. The sun was still up – I could feel it – so why was he waking me up? I shifted myself a bit to see him standing on top of Marko, though none of the others had woken up yet. I wasn't surprised. They rarely woke up before the sun set.

"Rain," I mumbled, my voice hoarse and my vision still blurry, "what are you doing?"

Rain whined again and pointed his face to the door. I sighed and listened as hard as I could, and I could make out the sound of voices in the hall, though they were a bit a ways away. I blinked quickly and turned to shake David. He groaned in response and shook his head. "Baby, the sun's still up."

"David, someone's here," I mumbled quietly, trying to keep my voice low so they wouldn't hear.

"No, there's not. Go to bed, sweetheart."

"David, I'm not kidding," I whined out, my voice going up an octave. David opened his eyes and listened like I had before, sitting up quickly when he heard the voices. He let out a territorial growl that immediately woke up the other boys, though Paul and Marko took a bit longer to wake up completely compared to Dwayne who immediately shot up, his eyes bright yellow.

"What is it," Dwayne questioned, looking around the room.

David stood and pulled on his pants and shirt in less than a second before moving to the door. "Someone's here."

The other boys rose from the bed and pulled on their clothes easily, moving faster than I had ever seen them. I sat in the bed and brought my knees up to my chest as the voices grew nearer. "I know those voices," I mumbled quietly, climbing out of bed with a blanket wrapped around me.

"What's that smell," one questioned.

"Vampires, my friend, vampires," the other responded.

I pulled the blanket tighter around myself and turned to David. "That's Sam Emerson and the Frog brothers." Marko moved to stand beside me, wrapping his arm around me. "Maybe you can scare them off, y'know. Get them to run off before they see you."

David snarled and turned to me. "I'm going to rip them limb from limb if they hurt Laddie or Star."

I nodded quickly and turned to the door. The boys were getting closer, almost too close. "Growl at them, like really loud. Get them to turn and run. That way they won't see you guys. We can get them later."

Marko smirked and David opened the door. He paused for a second, listening, before he let out a deep, guttural growl that resonated through the halls. The boys' footsteps stopped, and I heard their heartbeats pick up. If they could see anything at all, it would be David's eyes glowing against the darkness.

"Edgar, what was that," Sam questioned.

David let out another growl, this one louder. Dwayne joined in, inching closer to the door as he let out a growl. I bit my lip and stared at the two.

"I don't know, Sam," Edgar responded. "The comics don't say vampires can growl."

David let out a vicious roar, and I inched myself closer to Marko just a bit as David's face changed completely to his vampiric form.

The boys all let out loud yells and began running the other direction. I heard one of them drop a flashlight, and it went silent as they fled from the cave, yelling loudly for someone to start the car. I pulled myself away from Marko and inched my way to the door, listening carefully to make sure they were gone before opening the door.

"Where are you going," David questioned, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"I need to go out there, see if Laddie and Star are still there." My voice was frantic, and David let go of my shoulder and let me hurry down the hall, still clutching the blanket to me in case someone was still there. I stepped into the main cave and flinched at the light but continued walking. I scanned over the area quickly before bounding over to the beds where I let out a small growl. Star and Laddie weren't there. I felt tears gather in my eyes as I worried about where they were. I ran to the steps of the cave and flew up, though I was a bit wobbly with it.

I peaked over the ledge to see a car in the distance, and I let out a loud yell, clenching my fists and hitting the cliff's edge. I dropped back down to the ground and stumbled into the cave, weak from the sun. I let out a loud sob and stumbled back to the boys, falling into Dwayne's arms immediately. "They took them! God damn it!"

I felt Dwayne tense up, but he rubbed my back soothingly, placing his chin on top of my head. "It'll be okay. We'll get them back."

"They could be dead for all we know," I cried out, wrapping my arms around him tightly.

"They're not," David grumbled. I turned to see him running his hands through his hair as he stared up at the ceiling. "I can still feel their bond. They're alive, and they're not hurt." He turned to face me as he said that.

I nodded slowly and reached my hand out for him. He stepped forward and carefully took my hand, placing it on his face. He gently kissed my palm before placing it on his cheek. "So we can get them back?"

David nodded and let out a soft sigh. Dwayne was slowly relaxing a bit, but his shoulders were still squared up like he was prepared to fight.

"I guess that mutt actually saved our lives, huh," David mused, staring at Rain who was sitting next to Paul who was hugging Marko tightly.

I laughed lightly and nodded. "Told ya so."

David let go of my hand and moved over to us completely. Dwayne silently let go but kissed my forehead. David pulled me into his arms. I let my head rest on his shoulder as he took deep breaths. "When the sun goes down, we're going to get them back. If any harm comes to Star or Laddie, I'm going to kill the entire family." I nodded. "But for now, we need to sleep."

And we did. We fell onto the bed and slept for the remaining few hours. It was a restless sleep filled with much tossing and turning, and when the moon rose and we felt energy fill our bodies, we were immediately on the move. Dwayne easily grabbed me, knowing I was the worst at flying, and we flew over the city.

As we approached the Emerson house, I broke off from Dwayne and flew on my own. As my boys descended upon the brothers, I moved to the back of the house, knowing Star and Laddie would be put in one of the rooms. Michael, no matter what he had done, wouldn't allow her to get hurt. I waited for a few seconds, listening and my siblings were thrown into Sam's room. Once the door was shut and I heard one of the Frog brothers threaten them, I flew up and slammed through the window, growling as I stood in front of Star and Laddie.

"Mom," Laddie yelled.

"Evangeline," Star breathed out, listening as I growled loudly at the boys. The brothers froze up at the action and looked like the didn't know what to do. Their painted faces were set in shock and the once confident demeanor they had on before dropped to a scared expression. I took a slow step forward, and the boys ran to the bathroom where I heard Paul slam the door shut.

I took a deep breath and turned to the two behind me. I lifted their arms and inspected them, making sure they hadn't got hurt. "Are you okay? They didn't do anything did they?"

"We're fine, I promise," Star reassured me. "Michael took us from the cave. I'm so sorry. I didn't know what to do. God, I was so worried the boys had done something to you guys." I pulled Star into a hug and felt Laddie wrap his arms around my legs. "I promise I didn't know he was going to do that. He kept telling me how he was going to save me, how he was going to reverse everything. Eva, he's going to hurt David. They're trying to kill the boys!"

I growled lowly and pulled away, staring at the door as I heard Paul yell. I pulled away from them and ran toward the door, throwing it open to see Paul with a slightly burnt face and a dog staring him down. I growled at the dog as it jumped to knock Paul into the tub and pushed it away, watching it fly against the wall. The Frog brothers let out yells and grabbed at each other.

Paul stepped forward and grabbed Alan while I grabbed Edgar and pulled them out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. We threw them down on the ground and watched as they scrambled to try and get up. "What did you think you were going to do, huh?" I sent a sharp kick to Edgar's stomach. He curled into himself and groaned lowly, closing his eyes.

"We were going to kill you scum," Alan stated, his lip curling up.

"Look where that got you," I sneered and kicked Alan this time.

Paul wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my neck, staring down at them. "What do you want to do, baby?"

"Let's take them to the boys, figure this out together," I mumbled before turning and pressing my lips to his. Paul grinned against me and bent down to pick up Alan while I grabbed Edgar. Star and Laddie followed up as we walked out of the room. We descended the stairs to see Marko holding Sam to the ground with his boot while Dwayne and David stood next to Michael who was growling lowly as he sat, his hands tied behind his back. I threw Edgar to the floor and watched him groan in pain. Paul did the same.

"You guys okay," I questioned, looking over all of them. Dwayne was bleeding from his stomach, but the rest seemed to be okay. "What happened, Dwayne."

Dwayne glared at Sam as he spoke. "Fucker tried to shoot me with his bow and arrow."

I moved toward him and hovered my hand over the wound. "You're going to be okay, right?"

Dwayne grinned and leaned forward a bit. "Nothin' a little blood couldn't fix up."

I nodded and kissed him before stepping back over to Paul. Michael had fallen silent as he stared at Star. "Star? What are you doing?"

"What do you mean? I'm standing here."

"Why didn't you try helping us, Star? We could have found a way out of this." Michael's voice was pleading, and he leaned forward a bit from his place on the ground.

Star frowned and shook her head, her eyes watering. "I told you, Michael. This is my family. It's a fucked up family, but it's the only family that's actually cared for me. I'm not giving them up. I thought you were on board with us – with joining us, with being with me forever." Her voice cracked at the end, and I silently grabbed her hand to reassure her.

Michael shook his head and brought himself – after some struggle – to his knees. "I do want to be with you, Star! I do! Sam was just – his friends found a way for us to be together _as humans_. I- I just jumped on the opportunity! I didn't know what I was doing! I'm so sorry!"

"How do you not know what you're doing? You literally took me out of the cave and almost killed my brothers and sister. How do you – what do you mean?" Star was angry, the wet kind of angry that made her feel weak. Tears rushed down her cheeks as her voice rose a few octaves. "Michael, you could have hurt some of the only people that matter to me."

"I'm sorry."

Star shook her head, and a sob racked her body at the statement. "No, you're not. You don't even realize what you tried to do."

"Maybe not, but I hurt you, Star, and that hurts me."

Star shook her head again, and she turned to me, wrapping her arms around me and sobbing into my shoulder. I shushed her quietly and glared at Michael, though I couldn't for long. Even I couldn't deny the sincerity in his eyes. "Star, go sit over there with Laddie, okay," I mumbled, motioning to the kitchen with my head. Star nodded quickly, and Laddie hugged me before rushing to the kitchen with her.

I let out a sigh and growled at Michael. "Now look what you did. Jesus! And I was rooting for the two of you."

The boys chuckled at my words, and I turned my head to David. "What are we going to do with the Frog brothers," I questioned, staring at the two who were still holding themselves, groaning every now and then. I guess I might have broken a rib or something.

David stared at them and growled lowly. "We can't really just let them go, and they _did_ help kidnap my siblings." David bent down and gave them a slow once-over before his eyes turned to mine. "What if we made them their first meal? They would be fully turned, and we can get your first later tonight."

I stared at them and then Michael and then I looked over to the kitchen. "If she agrees, yes, but only if she agrees."

David nodded, and I moved to the kitchen. Star sat on the kitchen counter with Laddie right beside her. Laddie was humming quietly, a tune that Star would always sing to him when he was homesick or sad. Star looked up as I entered, and I knew she had been listening.

"I'll do it," she stated quietly, "but don't make Michael if he doesn't want to. I'll – I'll kill one of them because they almost hurt you guys."

I nodded, and she jumped off the counter easily. "I'm proud of you, Star," I mumbled as we entered the room. I made eye contact with Sam as I did so from where he was lying on the ground, and I moved to him as she moved to the Frog brothers. Sam's eyes widened as I approached him, but I shook my head, trying to tell him I wasn't going to hurt him. Marko watched me come over, and he easily bent down to kiss me when I finally reached him. I rolled my eyes but complied, giving him a short kiss. "Can I take Sam into the kitchen? He shouldn't see that yet."

Marko nodded, and he lifted his boot. Sam easily scrambled over a few inches and stood up. "Go to the kitchen, dude. Don't try anything, please. Don't waste our time." Sam nodded quickly and practically sprinted to the kitchen.

David began talking as Marko wrapped an arm around my waist and Paul came over to wrap his arm around my shoulders. "Now, Michael, you can choose to feed from Alan or someone on the beach, but either way, you're going to have to at some point. There's no getting out of it."

Michael's eyes were trained only on Star as he spoke, his voice wobbly. "I'll do it now."

I bit my lip and pulled myself from the boys' hold. They went to protest, but as I watched Dwayne throw Alan to Michael, I knew I had to at least move to the kitchen so I wouldn't join in. I moved quickly, walking into the kitchen as I breathed through my mouth instead of my nose. I could hear their hearts pumping fast, knowing their death was near, and I wanted to join in so badly.

I moved and stood in front of Laddie, ready to restrain him if necessary. Sam watched me do so, and he looked at me with eyes filled with worry. "Evangeline," he began. I flinched as I heard one of them sink their fangs into one of the boys. Laddie wrapped his arms around me tightly. The scent of blood overpowered me, and I focused on Sam's words to calm myself. "You guys are going to hurt me, right?"

I shook my head. "Why do you always ask that? No. Of course, we're not going to hurt you. I think you're going to be joining us when you're eighteen, but that's a ways away."

"What about my mom?" The second person sunk their fangs into someone. "What are you guys going to do with her?"

"Sam, can you wait about, I don't know, an hour? Your mom should be coming home by then, and you'll get your answers, okay?"

Sam nodded, and he pursed his lips. "Do you think Star will forgive Michael? I don't think I've ever seen him so in love with a girl. I mean, I've watched him chase after girls because they're pretty, but he's never looked at a girl in _that_ way."

I bit my lip and shrugged my shoulders, listening to the boys' heartbeats fall to nothing slowly but surely. "I don't know, Sam. I sure hope so. Star really likes him, too."

Sam nodded again and chewed at his nails. "This is crazy. I mean, I know why it's murder capital of the world now, I guess."

I chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, you figured it out, bud."

I heard one body drop to the floor and then a second, and I took a deep breath, closing my eyes as my fangs came out only to go right back in. I ran a hand over my face and moved from the counter. "Stay in here for a second," I mumbled to the two boys before walking to the living room. Star didn't have a drop of blood on her, but Michael had some falling down his chin. The two boys' bodies were slumped on the ground, and I sighed softly. "Can someone dispose of those so the mom doesn't freak when she gets home," I questioned. Marko bounced over and easily picked them up before flying out of the house. "Now, what's our plan, David?"

David turned to me and shrugged his shoulders. "Leave Michael, Star, and Sam here so they can talk to his mom and Max when they come back from their _date_. Find you a meal. Figure out where the hell they'll be living."

I nodded and turned to see Michael and Star staring at each other, both breathing heavily. I laughed quietly and smirked. "Hey, lovebirds." Their heads snapped to me. "Be back at the cave before sunrise. We don't need you guys to burn up on your first days, okay?" Star nodded, and I moved forward, pulling her into a hug. "His mom should be back in about an hour. Max will explain things. You two do need to talk things out, though. Don't come home mad at each other."

Star nodded again and smiled as I pulled away. "Thank you. You're the best sister I could've asked for."

I grinned and patted her shoulder. "Now, don't hurt Sam. Either of you."

Michael nodded quickly, and I moved away from the two of them. "Laddie, baby! Come here!"

Laddie bounded into the room and quickly jumped up and hugged me. "Mom!"

I chuckled and ruffled his hair. "We need to take you back to the cave. Wanna let Paul take you? You're going to be alone for a bit, but all your favorite stuff is out in the main room, and Paul can light some barrels." Laddie pouted but nodded, and he jumped over to Paul who easily pulled him onto his back, mumbling a 'come on, little dude.'

That left me with David and Dwayne who smirked at me as I grabbed their hands, leading them out of the house. "You guys need to find a meal for all of us once the others are done."

David gave me a bright smirk and nodded, pulling me into his arms. "Well, let's go find you a meal, baby." Then, we were off flying.

 **A/N: HEY! If anyone wants to be my best bud and buy me this fifteen dollar necklace I really want, fckin hit me uppp. Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays. Only a few more chapters left of this bad boy :)**


	24. Chapter 24

**xxiv.**

The boardwalk seemed just a bit brighter tonight as I watched the people from my position on the railing. I swung my legs back and forth, quietly braiding small braids into Dwayne's hair as we waited for the other two to get back. David was standing beside me, a cigarette between his lips as he watched the crowd like I did.

I hummed a song quietly as I brushed hair from Dwayne's shoulder. I bent down and kissed his neck softly, laughing a bit as he shivered. "Put your head on my shoulder," I sang quietly, pressing another kiss to the top of his head. "Hold me in your arms, baby." I wrapped my arms around Dwayne's shoulders and placed my head on top of his. I knew he was grinning, and I felt one of his hands move to hold one of mine. "Squeeze me oh-so-tight. Show me that you love me too."

I pressed a kiss to the top of Dwayne's head and looked up as I heard Paul and Marko making their way over. Paul's arm was slung over Marko's shoulder, and they were both laughing loudly. David stomped out the rest of his cigarette and raised an eyebrow. "What took you guys so long?"

"Sorry," Paul said with a grin, "ended up getting caught up in each other on the way."

I laughed at that and tapped Dwayne's chest so he would move forward. He complied, and I dropped down to the boardwalk, my bare feet making barely any noise. "We found a group of people down on the beach, surf nazis."

Marko's face upturned to a Cheshire grin, and he bit his nail at the news. "Well, let's get em," Paul yelled out, excited. He bounced on his toes and grinned a wild grin.

David nodded, and I intertwined my fingers with Dwayne's as David led us to the group. I was shaking a bit, whether from excitement or nerves I wasn't sure. "What if I mess up. Like, what if I can't do it," I questioned Dwayne, biting my lip.

"You won't," he stated, looking down to me with a reassuring smile. "Once you smell it, your instincts will take over. Don't worry. Just try to steer clear of Paul and Marko if you're trying to stay even a bit clean. They have entirely way too much fun feeding."

I nodded and laughed a bit. Of course, out of everyone, the two would have the most fun doing it. I could hear the group of Surf Nazis clearer and clearer the closer we got. They were dancing around a fire, something they seemed to do often, while blaring music from a beaten-up boombox that closely resembled Paul's. "How do you guys even start this," I questioned, watching from a distance as three boys danced around, yelling out lyrics to whatever song was playing while a couple made out from their position a bit away from the fire. "Like, do you just dive in or do you like screw around first?"

"Depends on how we're feeling," Dwayne answered. "Sometimes we like to join the party before killing them. Paul likes to fuck around with the girls, lead them on and then kill them when they try something. David just likes to go for it. Marko doesn't care as long as he gets to eat."

I nodded, and we stopped a few feet away from the group. They hadn't noticed us yet. "Then, what are we doing tonight?"

David licked his lips and turned to me with a grin. "Your choice, sweetheart. If you want to taunt them, you go for it. It's your first meal."

I bit my lip and stared at the group, my eyes set on a specific boy. I had seen him a few days ago taunting a girl and trying to get her to give in to his desires. I would have stepped in if he had taken it any farther, but he ended up falling when he tried to go after her, too intoxicated to even walk right. "Do I look good," I questioned, looking down at my outfit. Black tank top, short leather skirt, fishnet leggings, and combat boots were my outfit for the night.

"You look fucking hot," Paul stated simply.

I gave him a lopsided grin and nodded. "Well then. Don't come until I bite him." Then, I was sauntering over to the boys, swinging my hips a bit more when one of the boys looked my way.

"Come to party, pretty thing," he questioned, pausing his dancing. The others followed his gaze, and I watched the one I wanted do a quick scan of my body, a smirk on his face.

I hummed and batted my eyes a bit. "Well, I heard you guys could give me a good time." My voice was sultry, a tone I used with the boys when I wanted them to know what would be happening later that night. "Can I join?"

The one I was watching nodded and reached his hand out for me to grab. The other two started dancing again, though their eyes were pinned on us. I took his hand, and he swiftly pulled me against him. I heard my boys growl lowly, but I ignored them. I grinned at the boy in front of me, trying not to flinch at his disgusting breath when he spoke to me. "So, where're your boys?"

"Thought I'd party with you guys tonight. I've had my eyes set on you for a while." I whispered the last sentence, leaning forward just a bit.

"Is that so," he questioned, chuckling at the end.

I hummed and nodded. I leaned forward a bit more, my lips ghosting a bit above his neck. "Been thinking about this," I stated before letting my fangs slip out and biting down hard. I moaned as blood flooded my mouth, the delicious taste running down my throat. The boy let out a loud yell of terror, and I heard my boys join me as screams filled the air.

I was caught up in the taste of his blood. It was sweet yet a bit bitter, and I wondered if what they ate changed what their blood tasted like because he surely tasted like beer mixed with chocolate. It was strange yet delicious. It tasted better than anything I had eaten as a human.

As I drank, a feeling of power overtook me, and I closed my eyes as I felt something change inside me. My body was tingling, starting from my fingertips and moving towards my heart. I was changing completely. Pleasure ran through my body after the tingling, and once the body was completely drained, I dropped him and turned to my boys. Marko was the only one finished, and when he caught my gaze, he seemed to understand the want in my eyes because he walked toward me.

I sped over to him and immediately pulled him against me, kissing him harshly. The taste of blood covered his mouth, and I moaned loudly as we tangled tongues. His hands gripped my ass, and I tugged at his hair, growling when he pulled away.

The growl was cut short, however, as I felt someone turn my head and kiss me just as harsh as Marko had. Marko moved to make marks along my neck as I moved one hand from his hair to the person who was now kissing me, and as I felt it, I concluded that it was Dwayne.

Dwayne kissed me passionately like he had never kissed me before, and I whined when I was pulled from him and to a new set of lips.

Paul's.

Paul kissed me hungrily. It was a teeth-clashing, breath-stopping, body-shaking kind of kiss that consumed me. Paul kissed me as if his life depended on it.

Lastly, I was pulled from Paul's lips to David's. David kissed me slowly, a nice change of pace from the others. David kissed me like he wanted me to know that he was proud of what I had just done. David kissed me in feather-light movements that had me wanting more.

As he pulled away, I was left a light-headed mess, my eyes fluttering open and closed rapidly. Marko stopped his assault on my neck, and I took a step back, steadying myself.

David laughed quietly and grabbed my hand, pulling it close to his face and kissing my knuckles. "Welcome to the club, beautiful."

I was half-asleep on the floor when Michael and Star finally arrived. I had made a palette on the floor of pillows and blankets I had asked Marko and Paul to find. They ended up stealing a few bed sets and pillows from closed stores.

Laddie laid on top of me, his small body covering my stomach and legs as he snored softly. Paul laid to my right, and Marko was drawing me, I believe. Dwayne was skateboarding around, singing quietly to the songs playing from the radio. David was sitting in his chair, reading the same book for the umpteenth time.

Star had walked in first, followed by Michael who seemed to be a bit skittish to be in the cave. Star searched the room for a few seconds before her eyes fell on me. The moment they did, though, she bounded over to me.

Star jumped over and sat down on the bedding next to me, a bright grin overtaking her face. I laughed a bit as Marko grumbled a bit about obstructing his view, but Star either didn't notice or didn't care. "Thank you," she stated simply.

I bit my lip and smiled up at her, nodding. "Of course. Anything for my sister."

Star giggled, and I lifted my head just a bit to see Michael standing with his hands in his pockets, looking like he didn't know what to do. "How'd things go with his mom," I questioned, turning back to Star.

"She's very nice. She's getting married to Max. I didn't know he was the head?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Wasn't allowed to tell. 'm sorry."

Star shrugged and swallowed. "Just wasn't expecting it, y'know."

I nodded and yawned. The sun would be rising fairly soon. "Hey, Michael," I called out. "Get over here."

Michael seemed to falter for a second before I heard his shoes hit the ground and he began walking over. Once he was in my line of sight, I lifted my hand and beckoned for him to come closer. Star moved out of the way and he took her place.

I stared at Michael and pursed my lips. "Michael," I began quietly. "You understand that I have four boys that I am very much in love with and that they would do anything for me, correct?" Michael nodded, and I could tell he was trying to keep a calm façade, but he was freaking out inside. "You understand that Star is my sister and that I would do anything for her, correct?" He nodded again. I pursed my lips again and said the next part firmly. "Michael, if you ever lay a hand on her out of anger, if you ever push her past any limits she's expressed, if you hurt her in any sense of the word, I will rip you apart without a second thought. I will tear you limb from limb and feed you to the animals outside. Do not doubt for a second that I wouldn't do anything for my family, and I'll know if you did something. She wouldn't even have to tell me because I'd fucking know. Don't try me, Mikey."

Michael's eyes were wide, and his hands were shaking. He nodded quickly, his words stuttering. "Yes, of course. I wouldn't even think about it."

"Oh, I know, Michael," I leered at him. "Now, I suggest you go figure out where you're sleeping before I snap now for the stunt you pulled earlier tonight." Michael nodded again and moved away. Dwayne clapped a hand on his shoulder and led him to where he and Star were to sleep from now on. It was another tunnel in the cave that led to a room that had made up tonight for the two of them. Star's bed had been moved to it, and candles filled the inside, though they wouldn't need it with their newly enhanced sight.

Star returned to her position, this time with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "Was that really necessary?"

I laughed and grinned at her. "Of course, it was. Are you kidding me?"

Star laughed with me and shook her head. "I'm going to go to bed. Love you, Eva."

"Love you, too, Star. I'll see you tomorrow night."

Star nodded and lifted herself up, walking to where she saw Dwayne and Michael disappear to.

I yawned loudly and stretched. I lifted Laddie off of me and stumbled to my feet with him in my arms. I made my way across the cave to his bed and gently laid him down. Rain immediately jumped into the bed and curled up beside him. Laddie wrapped his arms around him, and I smiled at the action. "Night, Laddie," I mumbled and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

Then, I walked back to the main area and wrapped my arms around Marko from behind, staring at the drawing he had done of Laddie, Paul, and I. I had to admit, he was talented beyond belief.

Marko grinned and turned his head to face me. His eyes that normally held mischief held - instead - a look of content. "This is finally home," Marko mumbled, pressing his lips to my cheek. "You're my home, Evangeline."

"And you guys are mine," I mumbled back.

A soft smile replaced Marko's grin, and he stood up before turning back and lifting me into his arms, carrying me like I had carried Laddie. He gently carried me to our bedroom where the others soon joined, and I was soon in the middle of the bed, pressed between warm bodies and loving smiles.

That night, I slept better than I had in a long time, truly happy and ready to take on whatever this world would bring us. Nothing could defeat the lost boys as long as their lost girl was right beside them.


	25. Epilogue

**After.**

Santa Carla hadn't changed a bit. Thirty years later, and it was the exact same. A grin grew across Evangeline's face as she and the boys drove down the boardwalk. It had been twenty-five years since they left, and they figured they would pay it a visit. They hadn't really changed all too much besides the young ones.

Laddie had changed at the age of eighteen, drinking from a man who had been messing with Star all night. Sam had changed around nineteen, not wanting to be the older brother no matter how much he would've joked about it. Rain had died in the mid-90s which truly hurt us all, but we had gotten a hellhound to replace him after a few years, though he still wasn't my beloved dog.

In the matters of the boys, Marko had cut his long hair short around the early 90s and has kept it ever since. He no longer wore his chaps and boots after they got destroyed one night by a guy who carried a knife. His patched jacket – a few days of contemplation – had been thrown into the ocean in the early 00s. He now wore a spiked jacket with paintings covering it instead of the patches. It was something I had helped him with for three nights in a row.

Dwayne kept his hair long, though it was styled different, and his wardrobe had barely changed. The only difference was his boots which he had swapped for a different pair that was similar yet different.

Paul had also cut his hair, unfortunately, but he still used just as much hairspray as he pushed it up in crazy styles that somehow always fit. He had changed his pants from white to black, and he had gotten nipple piercings one night when he was drunk, though he found them hilarious the next night. His clunky boots were replaced with sleeker ones, and he now had a tattoo crawling up his side after a night where they realized they could still get them, a silver wolf, funnily enough.

David had left behind his trench coat in favor of a leather jacket I had gotten him one Christmas in the late 90s. He also loved hanging chains from his belt and neck, something that he pulled off surprisingly well. He also now had initials for me and the three others on each wrist and ankle.

My fashion was still the same. I never stuck to one outfit like the boys could. I just loved trying different styles and outfits. That includes the time I let Paul spike my hair into a mohawk and dress me for the day. It was a complete disaster, and I went out in a tight miniskirt and crop top that barely covered anything. We weren't out very long before the boys dragged me back home to do some activities.

Star and Michael were going strong as were Max and Lucy, and I truly couldn't be happier than I was.

We pulled up to where we used to park our bikes and easily got off, looking around at everyone at the boardwalk. Even the people hadn't changed. The boardwalk was still filled with people of all kinds. The only change was the trends in clothing and talking.

I leaned against Dwayne and hummed along to the songs playing over the speakers. He wrapped his arm around my waist, and we eyed the different shops surrounding each side of the boardwalk. They seemed a lot better than what there used to be.

Marko and Paul were holding hands, and Paul was talking excitedly about how he wanted ice cream and how he found a new dealer that would sell them weed for cheaper. One thing that was definitely better about the time change was the acceptance growing around LGBT+ couples. Though Marko and Paul could always kill the person who said anything about them, it was nice to be able to walk around in public and hold hands or kiss without having to hear someone grumble and call them slurs every time. There were still moments, but it was becoming easier and easier to be more open about it.

David was on my other side, smoking a cigarette as he looked around. Anyone else would have thought he was bored, but I could see the little glint in his eyes that signified that he was intrigued about what was around him.

Star and Michael had disappeared on their own with the promise to meet us at the cave. Laddie and Sam left to check out the new comic shop with the same promise.

"I missed this place," I mumbled.

Dwayne hummed and nodded, looking down at me as he walked. "Been a while, hasn't it?"

"Too long," I replied.

Paul led us into an ice-cream shop with an excited pep in his step. It was a small place that reminded me of the diner we used to go to every now and then, the 50s theme very prominent. Paul ordered something with heaping amounts of chocolate, Marko ordered birthday cake ice cream with no toppings, Dwayne got cookie dough with chocolate drizzle, I got the same, and David got plain vanilla. Soon, we were skipping out of the store with a bit of a pep in our steps after Marko had paid.

Marko ran a well-known Instagram page with amazing artwork. He used me as reference most of the time, but I didn't mind. It was the only way I could see what I looked like.

After stopping at a railing, I climbed up like I always did, and I froze as I heard a voice I hadn't heard in years.

"Evangeline?"

I turned to the sound and met the eyes of Marigold. She had aged beautifully with barely any wrinkles. Her hair was longer than I had last seen it, and she had gained a bit of weight, but she was still my Marigold.

"Marigold," I questioned. Marigold's eyes were wide, and I realized how crazy we must look. We hadn't aged at all in thirty-one years. "It's been a long time," I stated, trying to get her to talk."

Marigold gave me a small smile before moving forward and wrapping her arms around me. "I don't want to question how you look like you do, but I do want to say that I missed you. You just disappeared out of the blue one day. I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"I'm sorry," I mumbled into her hair, sighing softly. "I should've said goodbye." Marigold pulled away and held her purse in both hands. "You look as beautiful as ever."

Marigold let a soft blush cover her cheeks and she smiled again. "You were always so sweet to me. I don't look all too amazing, though. My kids really messed me up."

I nodded. "They'll do that."

"You have no idea."

We both turned our heads as two teenagers approached her, both yelling 'mom' at the top of their lungs. They were both about seventeen with gold hair like their mother and bright grins. Twins.

"Mom! Did you see the bikes parked over there? There's eight of them, and they're all _beautiful_!" One of the boys pointed over to where the boys and I had parked our bikes as the other spoke.

Marigold raised her eyebrows and turned to me. "You're still riding those things," she questioned.

I laughed a bit and shrugged my shoulders. "You always loved taking rides with me, _Sunshine_. There wasn't a day you didn't want to ride."

Marigold grinned a bright grin and shook her head. "You got me."

"Mom, who are they," one of the twins questioned.

"Old friends of your mom," I replied.

"You don't look very old," the other twin spoke, crossing his arms.

"Looks can be deceiving, kid."

The boys chuckled, and the twins shrugged their shoulders. "I like your bikes."

"Wanna ride," Paul offered, leaning against the railing beside me. The other boys nodded, and we all awaited their answer.

"Can we, mom," one of the twins questioned.

"Can we, please," the other pleaded.

Marigold stared at me and nodded. "Yeah, go ahead."

My boys whooped loudly, and Paul and Marko wrapped their arms around the boys' necks. I hopped down and watched them move toward the bikes, knowing they wouldn't leave without me. I grabbed Marigold's hands and gave her a soft smile.

"Take care of them, will you," she questioned. "I trust you. Keep them safe."

I nodded before pulling her into another hug, letting a tear drop down my cheek. "I missed you, Sunshine."

"I missed you too, Sandy." I felt a few tears hit my shoulder, and I let out a shuddering breath. "Bring 'em back to me in one piece, will you," she questioned as she pulled away, wiping at her cheeks. "I don't care if they become one of you if it means they get to be happy. Just – Just keep them safe. They mean a lot to me."

"Of course. I love you." And I meant it. It had been years since I told my boys that I wasn't sure if I would ever get over the brown-eyed girl, and I never did. There were always days where I missed her dearly. She was my first love, and it was a love I could never forget.

I lifted a hand to place on her cheek, and she placed her hand on mine. "I love you, too. I always have. I always will."

I bit my lip and pulled away. "I guess this is goodbye. For real this time."

Marigold gave me a watery smile and nodded. "Yeah, probably. Who knows, maybe we'll run into each other one last time."

"I sure hope so." I let another tear fall down my cheek before biting my lip and stepping away. "Goodbye, Marigold."

"Goodbye, Evangeline."

Then, I was walking away and so was she. I wiped my cheek and took a deep breath before approaching the bikes, giving them a fake confident grin. My boys' eyes watched me cautiously, and I gave them a simple nod to let them know I was okay.

I climbed onto my bike and started the engine, taking note of the fact that one twin was behind Paul while the other was behind Dwayne.

"Let's ride, boys."

 **A/N:** _I want it to be known that I fucking bawled while I wrote this - no joke. I've gotten so attached to this story and characters, and I wrote this in only one months which is fucking crazy and I just want to say thank you to everyone who supported this story and helped me keep it going because it means so goddamn much to me, you don't even understand. Writing this really was a coping mechanism when I was having bad days or good days and I needed to let it out. I just love you guys so goddamn much, and I hope you enjoyed this dumbass story that didn't have any rhyme or reason to it._

 _If you want to support me, I have a story I just started on Wattpad called Thicker than Water. If you liked this, you'll most likely like that. (The gang is called The Lost Boys but it's not ThESE lost boys. I'm sorry.)_

 _Anyway. I love you. You can find me on Tumblr sarcxstic-stilinski or instagram Goodnight and goodbye._

 _Here's some pictures of me since I realized y'all don't know what I look like lmao_


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